Mister Brightside
by SakuraDrops93
Summary: Certain events can't 'just happen' without certain feelings arising from them. Bakugou and Uraraka find that out the hard way and all because certain curiosities asked to be fulfilled one night and Bakugou makes the life-changing statement, "Just pretend I'm Deku so you don't play moral tug o' war with yourself." [Senior Year and Future AU; Adult-themed KACCHAKO]
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING:**

In case the title wasn't enough of a hint, this fic will delve into and portray very adult situations.

If you are easily offended by the grey areas in life, emotions, sexual themes, or the concept of 'wavering faith,' this is NOT the premise for you.

This is a fun little preview of what I've been working on during the little hiatuses of my other ongoing work- Hero Analysis and Application. I wanted to experiment with Bakugou and Uraraka's chemistry at a later point in their young-adult lives from a more 'mature' perspective so just keep in mind that some personalities may be slightly tweaked to fit the plot. Since 'FFdotnet' does not permit explicitly written MA-rated works and I'd like to keep my account open and scathe-free (thank you) I will upload an ' _uncensored'_ version of this fic to AO3. The title is **_"Mr. Brightside,"_** rating: Explicit. So do check it out if you're interested in the uncut content!

Note that I'll update this fic regularly once I'm done with H.A.A; I just wanted to know how people would receive this first. Too much? Too little? Let me know! Constructive criticisms welcome!

If you haven't left after reading my little warning and disclaimer notes up to this point, I'm guessing it's because you really want to read this fic anyway so thank you for giving it and me a chance and enjoy!

* * *

 ** _Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!_**

 ** _Tik-tik tak!_**

 ** _Tak-tak-tak!_**

Between studying for an overhaul of written exams, being bombarded by project due dates, and gathering research materials for their Hero Study thesis paper, 'grueling' was a loose term to summarize the past two weeks at U.A.

 ** _Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!_**

 ** _Tak-tak-tak-ta-ta-tak-tak-tak-ta-ta-ta-tak!_**

A hollow-eyed Bakugou Katsuki refused to resign himself to the exhausting hour of 2 A.M. on a Friday, his fingers whizzing over his laptop letter keys with urgency dancing at their calloused tips. As far as he was concerned, sleep was just an excuse for someone who didn't have the balls to pull an all-nighter and finish all the assignments at whatever the cost.

He gave his black-rimmed reading glasses a hasty push of his middle finger, raising it slightly higher over the bridge of his nose. Ironically, his vision blurred for a split second but he quickly blinked away what he knew to be the creeping remnants of monotony. "Three pages…" he reminded himself while pinching the wrinkled skin between his eyebrows, "Three more damn pages of this shitty assignment and I'll be home free. Come on!" Why Present Mic had the brilliant idea to have everyone read up on, translate, then write a thorough thematic analysis paper on Homer's Odyssey was beyond him. Heck, it was downright cruel since this was _Japan_.

Heaving a languid sigh, Bakugou raised his mug to his lips to take a sip of what he expected to be rich and creamy coffee but was instead left disconcerted when he tasted...air. "Huh?" He peered inside and scowled. This wouldn't do. As any competent busybody knew, coffee was as precious as life. Without it, there would be no hope of victory in their eternal warfare against lethargy. He looked at his laptop, then the empty mug then closed his laptop and exited his dorm room with both items at hand.

…

To Bakugou's surprise, the lights in the common room were already fully lit. Having come from a dimly lit hallway in the dead of night (technically morning), it wasn't exactly something he welcomed with open arms. If anything, the glaring white lightbulbs only stung his bloodshot eyes. 'Did someone leave them on?' he wondered but immediately shook off the digression. 'Whatever.' He just needed to restock on his caffeine to carry him through the night. He needn't stay long.

Scowling, he wandered to the kitchen area and opened the fridge in an almost giddy search of his special stache that he had saved for such an occasion. More to his extreme vexation than dismay, he found an empty plastic pitcher instead with a yellow sticky note of what looked like a childish sketch of Kirishima's head with a lopsided written message that read, 'I'm sorry! Couldn't stop!' attached to it. He wrinkled the note in his palm and blew it into soot. "I'm gonna kill that guy!" he vowed as he slammed the fridge shut and hurriedly worked on making a new batch of coffee. The beans that sustained him weren't exactly cheap either. Oh, Kirishima would pay. Literally. Scoffing, he pushed the coffee maker's switch on and skulked back towards the common room entrance. If he was going to stay a while, he'd definitely need the lights off to keep his migraine at bay.

"Ahh..." a soft yawn came from the central rest area, "Oops, I must have drifted off again..."

Bakugou's back stiffened at the voice. "Uraraka…" he grumbled her name, mentally cursing his shitty luck for having _her_ for a companion while he waited for his coffee to finish.

Uraraka paused in wiping off her drool from the center table to look up at the slouched figure standing by the doorway with his hand over the light switch. "Bakugou?!" she squeaked. He was nearly unrecognizable with his reading glasses on but his messy ash-blonde hairdo was a dead giveaway. "Wh-what are you doing here...a-at this time?"

"Hmph, I should be asking _you_ that, round-face," he quipped, "But I don't give enough of a fuck."

Uraraka wasn't smiling to begin with so she wasted no effort trying to mask her displeasure at his brusque response. "Do you really need to be so mean?"

"I'm just saying it how it is." Bakugou followed through with what he was originally about to do and turned the lights off. He hadn't expected a startled cry to come out of Uraraka the instant he did so, nearly falling over himself in his own bewilderment. "What the hell are you screaming for?!"

"You suddenly turned the lights off!" Uraraka cried, "What was I supposed to do?!"

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "... _Not_ scream? Like a goddamn lunatic."

"It's creepy though!" Uraraka wrapped her arms around her chest and crossed her legs. "Just what are you planning on doing with the lights off, huh?"

"Tch!" Bakugou couldn't help but smirk as he folded his arms over his chest. "In your wildest dreams, sweetheart. You're not my type at all. Far from it, actually."

Thank goodness it was dark because Uraraka could have sworn her face turned twenty shades of red at being called 'sweetheart' and having been bestowed the humility of Bakugou discovering where her mind had immediately flown to.

"Aw, did I hurt your little feelings? Never knew you thought that way about me."

'Wait a minute.' She frowned slightly. Was he... _teasing_ her? "No!" Uraraka quickly refuted while shaking her head. "I'm _glad_ I'm not your type. Besides, I don't think about you in any particular way outside that of a classmate."

"Hmph," was Bakugou's only response.

'Maybe I went too far?' was Uraraka's turn to wonder. Not wanting to say anything else potentially hurtful, she cleared her throat and relaxed her stance a little. "I'm actually working on an assignment right now so I'd appreciate it if you could turn the lights back on."

Bakugou twisted his face in annoyance. "Well the lights are hurting my eyes and I'm still waiting for my coffee."

"Keep the ones on my side on then," Uraraka grinned meekly, "Pretty please?"

Reluctance. Absolute and utter _reluctance_ and _abhorrence_ followed Bakugou's fingers as he flipped the center area's lights back on.

"Thank you!" Uraraka chirped and opened her mini laptop to resume her typing.

'She's working on a damn laptop and she _still_ needs the lights on?' Bakugou threw Uraraka one last dirty look before setting his own laptop down on the bar counter and reopening his essay window. Since he could still hear the beans grinding, he figured his coffee had a long way to go before reaching its liquid form. He could get some work done until then.

…

 ** _Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!_**

 ** _Tik-tik tak!_**

Some minutes had already passed and, for whatever reason, Uraraka could not help but keep notice of the brooding boy seated at the bar area with his back to her. It wasn't as though his very existence bothered her, but his presence tonight made the air feel heavy. And the more she stared, the faster a…'we got off on the wrong foot' kind of guilt welled inside her and, as much as her conscience scolded her to just keep to herself and pay him no heed because she really couldn't afford to worry about anyone else other than herself right now, she couldn't resist extending a truce— a return to civility between two classmates. Yes! It was only the polite thing to do. "Err...u-um…"

 ** _Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!_**

Bakugou continued to keep his back to her.

"Umm, he-hey! Bakugou!"

 ** _Tik-tik-tak-_**

The furious typing stopped.

Uraraka swallowed her apprehension. "Say, uh, why don't you come and sit over here?" she offered with a smile and welcoming gesture of her hand towards the floor where she sat, "Working on your computer in the dark really isn't good for your eyes. There's plenty of room he-"

"And you care because?" Bakugou grouched, still not turning around to face her.

Uraraka's lower lip rose to a pout. "I was just...trying to be considerate…" she mumbled.

Bakugou peeked at her from over his shoulder, brows still held in a scrutinizing pinch.

"Err, n-never mind then!" Uraraka forced herself to still sound cheerful, "Sorry, I was just talking to myself for a minute there. Don't let me bother you." The next thing she knew, she was using her tiny laptop as a shield against Bakugou's hunched form. It was dark on his side so she really couldn't see, but she could definitely feel his serpentine stare on her. 'But why?!' her mind boggled, 'Oh no, he's probably really mad at me now. Darn it, why couldn't I have just stayed quiet?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!' She repeatedly smacked herself in the face. 'Just don't think about it. Don't think of him! Focus, Ochako! You have a report due in the morning and you're about…' She looked at the pathetic single paragraph on her computer screen and felt her stomach sink. 'Nowhere near done! Oh god, what am I doing? Stupid, stupid, stupid!'

Her hands fell to her stomach as she slumped over and landed her cheek on the cool table. She wanted to cry. Finishing a major assignment never proved so taxing until now. To top it off, she hadn't been sleeping much in the past few days so her mental capabilities could only decline from here. "I'm so tired…" she groaned as her eyes slowly began to close. The ground left her and she felt lighter than ever before, her mind devoid of any worries or awareness of where she really was...until something rigid and warm pressed up against her right shoulder. 'Deku…'

"You don't have the luxury to have sex dreams about that nerd right now so if I were you, I'd wake my ass up and get to work."

It felt as though a giant rock just crashed through Uraraka's dream window, striking her in the head, snapping her eyes wide open, and yanking her body back to upright position. "Huh?!" She looked to her right to discover Bakugou nonchalantly typing away at his own laptop, seated… Right. Next. To. Her. "Bakugou!"

"There you go fuckin' screaming again," he grumbled, "You gotta cut that out."

"But you're-"

"You offered," he quickly snuffed her, "The stool was starting to hurt my back anyway."

"So you decide to sit on the floor _next_ to me..."

Bakugou's fingers stilled over the keyboard as his piercing red eyes darted to her. "You got a problem with that?"

Uraraka reeled in the witty response that sat on her tongue and instead replied with, "Not at all! Feel free." She looked up at the ceiling. "You turned the lights off, huh…"

"Eyes." Bakugou pointed at his. "Hurt." He pointed at the time on his phone. "Late." Then he continued to type.

"Pfft," Uraraka giggled softly, "Okay, Mr. Caveman, I get it. I guess that's what I get for falling asleep on the job anyway." She tilted her head towards him and wagged a finger. "That's what you're thinking, right?"

Bakugou rolled his eyes, opting to ignore the brunette's playful demeanor to prioritize his grade.

Having spent three years with the same classmates, it was no surprise that they had all grown accustomed to each other's personalities to some degree. What he hadn't exactly calculated was for Urarakato find a strange but casual comfort with him over those years. He could tell that he still intimidated her at times, but she more often forgot about them and continued to talk to him like he was just another classmate. Or as she put it— a _friend_. He didn't mind too much. She was more tolerable than most that tried to interact with him. Usually, they did so to achieve some form of social merit or to ride his success in being part of the Class A limelight but with her, she was at least genuine in her approach.

"If you're working on _that_ assignment, there's no way you're going to make the deadline. Not at your pace." He pointed at her laptop. "And I've read your so-called progress. Good luck with that crappy thesis."

"Come on, Bakugou, help me out here!" Uraraka clasped her hands in a praying gesture. "I _need_ to pass this class! Just keep me up and I'll do the rest! I promise!"

"Fat chance, round-face," he scoffed, "I'm just here until my coffee's done. Then I'm off to do my own shit. Unlike you, I don't like slacking off."

"I don't like it either, geez…" Uraraka whined.

"Besides…" Bakugou pressed an index finger on her forehead. "I doubt you even want to stay up since you're busy dirty-dreaming about Deku. You were moaning pretty loud there, y'know."

Uraraka held her blooming cheeks as her mouth hung wide open. "I...I was not moaning!" she defended. She was certain Midoriya's name crossed her thoughts as she unwittingly drifted to sleep but to have actually said it out loud?

"Tch, knowing you two love-nerds, you haven't even gotten to that point. That's why you're dreaming about it."

"Can we talk about something else, please?" Uraraka shifted her gaze to her laptop. "I hardly think this is an appropriate topic for even friends."

"Are you two even going out?" Bakugou persisted, smirking at Uraraka's clear discomfort. "I never heard from you again after you asked when was a good time to confess to him. Your ass got rejected, huh?"

" _No_ ," Uraraka huffed and blushed even more, "He...listened."

"...Listened."

"Yeah. Listened." Uraraka shrank under Bakugou's skeptical glare, now certain that neither the darkness nor the dim light of her laptop screen could hide the redness of her face. He wanted her to elaborate, that much she knew. But for what? Just so he could humiliate her again?

"Spill," Bakugou demanded, confirming her suspicions.

Uraraka heard him close his laptop and shift closer to her, most likely to lean an attentive ear to her lips. 'What the heck?!' her brain jolted, 'You're too close! Weirdo!' She scooted away slightly, her hand sweeping over the spot under her jaw where his breath had lingered. "He said he had some things to consider first," she explained, "And that he'd give me an answer when he got back."

Since the first half of their third year, Midoriya had mysteriously gone on a 'classified mission' assigned by some unknown party. At least, that was all Aizawa could offer for an explanation and sternly discouraged anyone from prying any further on it. Bakugou knew better than anyone that All Might's simultaneous disappearance was no coincidence and he'd been agitated at his own exclusion ever since.

'Sucks for Uraraka, though,' his nosy brain told him, 'She picked the day before the start of third-year classes to confess and now she's stuck waiting for him like some goddamn princess in a tower.' He frowned, suddenly reminded that he was partly responsible since he told her to pick that day. Just because he was Midoriya's 'childhood friend'— as Uraraka put it— didn't mean he was the best guy to ask about these kinds of things. They grew apart for Pete's sake! He only picked that day because it was literally the 'tomorrow' of when she asked him for advice. And heck, how was he supposed to know that Midoriya would suddenly just up and leave? His quirk was detonating chaos and destruction, not handy-dandy clairvoyance.

"So there!" Uraraka suddenly griped, pulling Bakugou out of his thoughts. "I told you! Happy now? Go ahead. Laugh at me. I feel no shame."

"I don't laugh at things I don't find funny."

Uraraka's eyes widened at his response, which was a complete one-eighty of what she had anticipated. "Wh-what?"

"That sucks," Bakugou empathized, though still maintaining his scowl, "That the nerd's kept you waiting for a simple 'yes or no' answer all this time." He noticed her softening stare on him and quickly followed with, "But you should've known what you were getting into with him."

The kindled hope in Uraraka's eyes immediately flickered out. "Don't talk down on me like you have nothing to do with the state I'm in. You're just as guilty!"

"I'm not a damn fortune teller!" Bakugou barked in retaliation, "I don't even know what you were thinking, asking me when's the right time to tell shitnerd your stupid girly feelings! I should be the last guy on your mind for that sort of crap!"

"Ahh...geez…" Uraraka sighed sadly as she wrapped her arms around her knees. "I don't know what I was thinking at the time either."

Bakugou's eyebrow twitched. That comment stung a bit, he'd admit.

"I guess...I've become a little...pushy, somewhat," Uraraka confessed with a sheepish smile, "Since we're so close to graduating and steadily making professional reputations of ourselves..."

"You're _that_ desperate for a boyfriend, huh?" Bakugou half-snickered.

Uraraka frowned at the mention of 'desperate.' "The proper word is 'excited,' okay? Besides, they're fun things to think about— holding hands, hugging, sharing stories, and…"

Bakugou was midway of opening his laptop when he looked over at Uraraka. "And?"

"Ki-kiss…" Uraraka whispered shyly, her eyes darting from side to side. "Kissing...maybe more." She covered her face the second the last sentence left her.

Bakugou closed his laptop completely. "You sound like a fuckin' little girl! You've never been in a relationship before, have you?"

"I so, too, have had boyfriends! Just...I never...did certain things with any of them. I've been waiting for the right time. I mean person! I don't know!" Uraraka turned her back to him, crossing her arms over her chest in indignation. "So ex- _cuuuuse_ me for not being as experienced as you!"

Bakugou had to suppress the heat that searched his cheeks, glaring at the brunette for having riled such a juvenile response from him. "Tch, it's not like I came on to the girls I've dated," he said almost too proudly, "They've all come onto me and I collected my experience points that way. With the right faces, of course. And I've only ever dated about four chicks thus far so don't make it sound like I'm some damn womanizer!"

"Well good for you then, Romeo," Uraraka replied, her usually angelic voice laced with sarcasm.

"...What made you suddenly think about those things?"

"...Excuse me?"

"The 'advanced level' of going out with someone or whatever."

"..."

"..."

Bakugou mentally kicked himself. What was he doing?! He had an assignment to work on and he was just here waiting for his coffee to finish (which was now steadily pouring its contents into the glass pitcher), so why was he prying into Uraraka's personal life like this? Now he'd look like a total ass once she shut his question down with a simple-

"Curiosity."

...Well, Bakugou hadn't expected _that_. "Really…" he muttered, unconvinced, "That's it? That's why you decided to tell Deku you like him— because you were _curious_."

"He-hey, if you put it like that, people will misunderstand," Uraraka stammered, turning to face Bakugou. "I mean, it'd be nice if I got to experience those things for the first time with Deku since I _like_ -like him."

Bakugou nearly gagged.

"But I can't help but still wonder at times..." Uraraka leaned back against the leg of the couch and laid her head on one of its cushions. She shared a distant smile with the ceiling, a glimmer of wishful bliss evident in her eyes. "What it'd be like to be held by someone that way."

She failed to see a smirk twisting along Bakugou's lips. "So anyone will do, is that what you're saying?" he asked.

Uraraka hugged herself. "The way you word things to make them sound so scandalous, I swear."

"Am I wrong?" Bakugou only smirked wider.

Uraraka glanced to her side, lips hesitating to form a reply before muttering, "N-not completely… To be honest, I've considered giving other people a chance _before_ Deku to gain a bit of experience and, as much as I hate myself for it, I still think about it now and again...while waiting for him to give me a response."

Bakugou hovered a hand over his mouth, shielding his disbelieving grin from view. "Are you serious? Wow. I would never have expected this from you."

Uraraka felt his elbow bump her lightly in the arm and blushed at the brief contact. "My aging mind hasn't been kind to me!" she wailed, covering her face with her hands again. "I'm a terrible person for even considering these things, aren't I?"

"That depends." Bakugou abandoned his laptop on the table and scooted closer to her. "Who did you consider before Deku?"

The steamy crawl of what could only be Bakugou's breath moved from her ear to her neck, making Uraraka swallow the fluster that she had no idea had settled in her throat for some time now. Her lips suddenly felt dry and the urge to lick it nipped insistently at her. Yet, another part of her fought against it, keenly cautious of the boy's proximity to her person. "Why do you want to know?" she challenged.

"Call it curiosity," Bakugou countered.

"Well…" Uraraka shuddered, "Aside from the guys I've dated before…" 'Who each only lasted about a month and a half because I've been all over the place with training to be a hero and never had the time to go on proper dates with them and they got tired of me for it,' her inner voice still had the decency to remind her, making her cringe a little. "I considered Kaminari at first since he'd asked me out a couple of times before." Her side grew warmer as Bakugou inched closer yet again, her shoulder locked in the crook between his upper arm and chest. "Th-then there was...Todoroki," she continued, trying her best to keep her voice steady despite her quickening heartbeat, "But I knew Yaomomo already had feelings for him since the first year so it wouldn't have been right of me to ask him."

"Of course little Ms. Rich Kid would go after pretty-boy Mr. Rich Kid," Bakugou mocked but more out of sarcasm than spite, "I'm surprised you didn't consider that naggy glasses guy first."

"Iida?" Uraraka nearly laughed at the descriptive nickname, "He's too serious and particular about everything! I love how funny he is because of that, but I don't think it's for me...to always be told what to do, that is."

"Hmph, at least you've got some standards."

"I think the last guy I considered was Kirishima."

Bakugou clenched the fibers of carpet under them. "...And they're gone."

Uraraka blinked under her palms. If she didn't know any better, he sounded kind of...angry? She tried to peek at his face from between her fingers but it was too dark to tell what kind of expression he was making. 'I knew I shouldn't have set my laptop's brightness to Auto-detect.' His warmth left her and she sighed softly. 'What is this deflated feeling I'm getting?'

 ** _Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!_**

Her palms slid down her face, revealing Bakugou with his laptop on top of crossed legs, hard at work on his assignment again. His eyes ran from right to left along the screen while his hurried fingers synced the words in his mental universe to the digital one. Her presence was already forgotten, it seemed, as though their whole conversation never happened. 'That's a shame,' she thought, 'Just when we were starting to bond more, t-' She put an abrupt stop to her musings. Was she actually... _disappointed?!_ 'Whoa, whoa, whoa! Get a hold of yourself, Ochako! This is _Bakugou_ we're talking about! He's probably making fun of me in his head now for all I know.'

" _I don't laugh at things I don't find funny."_

Uraraka's doubts were put to rest. He had given her his word in that regard so, safe to say, yes— she was disappointed. In the mere few minutes she had opened up to him, something took root between them. She wasn't sure what, but she could still feel its vines growing, spreading— in her heated cheeks, her fluttering stomach, and heart-beaten chest.

 ** _Tik-tik tak!_**

 ** _Tak-tak-tak-tak-tak!_**

 ** _Tik!_**

Every stroke of Bakugou's keys only hastened the vines' growth until Uraraka could swear it surrounded a door long shut within the shrouded sanctum of her heart. It was held steadfast by a keyhole and various older vines that a select few before had tried desperately to cut away at then jam and lockpick at the keyhole to pry open and reveal whatever secrets the room held inside. Up to this point, she truly believed Midoriya would be the one to clear away the vines and open the mysterious door but the mere mention of his name only clamped the hinges tighter and made the vegetation grow thicker.

'So why?' She watched as Bakugou stifled a yawn and massaged his shoulder with a displeased grunt. 'Why does it feel as though this person is standing in front of that door now?' He wasn't straightforward like the others. The shadows hid most of him, sparing only the scarlet eyes that shone brilliantly in the darkness. Something glinted in his hand as he stood there, motionless, biding his time to make the most opportune strike.

Bakugou felt the back of his neck prickle and turned to find Uraraka gaping shamelessly at him, rousing his impatient anger. "You got a staring problem, chubs?" he barked, "Quit it! It's making me itch!"

Only then did Uraraka realize what she was doing and faced her own laptop, cheeks dusted bright pink. "S-sorry!" she squeaked, "I didn't realize. It's just…you went quiet all of a sudden."

"I have the right to keep my mouth shut, don't I?"

Uraraka flinched at the sudden coldness in his voice. Just a moment ago, it had been so warm and comforting, easing her insecurities and introducing a newfound hope in her heart. Normally, it would prove unwise to confront another person's troubles head-on, humiliating them to a complete shutout being a risk factor. But when dealing with an abrasive personality like Bakugou's, that was the _perfect_ method to remedy the thorn in his side. "Are you mad that I said 'Kirishima'?" she blurted.

Bakugou slammed his fingers on the keyboard, rendering his once carefully constructed analytical essay to a jumbled mess of alphabetical vomit. "Why the hell would I be mad about something as stupid as that?!" he snarled, steam erupting from his scalp, "I'm just trying to focus on this damn essay so I can actually finish it! If you weren't so busy whining about your sorry excuse for a dusty-uterus love life and actually worked on the assignment, you'd been finished by now, too."

'Yep, he's mad about that,' Uraraka confirmed with herself, mentally facepalming at Bakugou's tantrum at having been found out. She expected nothing less.

"That meat-brain might be a good fighter but he doesn't know jack shit when it comes to women," Bakugou ranted on, "I made the mistake of asking him for advice on it once and paid the price. The damn bitch thought I was going to fuckin' propose to her and clung onto me like wet laundry for weeks!" Uraraka slapped a hand over her mouth in time to hold back the guffaws at imagining the scenario. The snickers didn't go unnoticed as he shot her a glare. "Hell, if you end up with him, good luck. Don't come cryin' to me when you go bald by the end of the month."

"And just why would I ever come crying to you?" Uraraka continued to laugh.

"Because I'm so goddamn reliable and you're a lost cause," Bakugou rebutted as he furiously tapped on the Delete button.

Though she knew he thought nothing of the things he said, Uraraka couldn't help but smile at the warm tickle in her stomach. Her hands and feet tingled with what felt like anticipation. Excitement. The reality was, she _wanted_ something to happen and in order to have something happen, she needed a catalyst. "S-so…" she began.

"Hmph," Bakugou snorted, looking more miffed than interested.

"What if…" Uraraka tapped her index fingers together. "What if I told you...I also...considered you at one point?"

Bakugou's hands froze over the keyboard, his eyes widening as he met her pensive gaze. "Come again, round-face?" His voice came out raspy, much to his annoyance, but his grimace more than made up for the seriousness he intended on conveying.

The temptation to look away screamed at Uraraka, but she kept her eyes glued to his. "Well like you said, you're reliable. Honest to a fault. Dominant. You'd be a guy I could count on."

"What are you-" Bakugou started to ask.

"But you also just said I'm not your type, so…!" Uraraka's stomach flopped, her smile faltering to a constipated grin as she inevitably tore her gaze from Bakugou. In the end, she didn't have a strong enough resolve to confront him on even grounds. Actually, she had the advantage by initiating the topic but now she could mentally curse herself because all that power just popped and escaped her like an overblown balloon. The best thing to do at this point was to keep quiet and hope either he or she would disappear, but her mouth had other plans. "I mean between you and Kirishima, I would pick Kirishima anyway. He's nice, good in groups, easy to talk to… And judging from his physique, I'm sure he's more than capable of delivering certain 'requests' that might come along."

Bakugou closed his laptop and took off his reading glasses, placing both items back on the table.

"N-no-not that I'm saying I like him or anything!" Uraraka flailed, "Of course, that description would fall on Deku but I'm just saying _if_ I were to date him first! Oh, gosh. Th-this is all hypothetical by the way so don't think too much about…" Bakugou loomed over her with one arm pinned at her side and the other set next to her waist, both to keep her from escaping. "...It."

"Are you _trying_ to piss me off, round-face?"

Uraraka swallowed thickly at the huskiness that reverberated in her eardrums. "N-no…"

"Telling me things like that without reserve..." Bakugou's glare intensified. "You're not cut out for toying with people so don't even go there."

"What do you mean 'toying'?" Uraraka squeezed the carpet. "I'm just saying what's on my mind."

Bakugou moved his hand that was next to her hip to take her chin and tilt her face to him. "You're not saying what you mean is more like it and it's pissing me off."

It was Uraraka's turn to frown. "Okay, I think your coffee deprivation has officially gotten to you," she said, pushing her hand against what she could only guess was someplace between his pectorals and collarbone. Her chest ached and it was getting harder to breathe, but it wasn't that she felt threatened or endangered, no. In fact, the sensations felt akin to that of a child quivering gleefully in her hiding spot as her seeker investigated high and low for her, growing nearer with every step of his foot and every call of her name.

Bakugou's eyes darkened. "You sure about that?"

"Pretty sure," Uraraka bit back, adrenaline now coursing in her veins.

"Okay, say it again then. More clearly this time."

"Say what again?"

"That you want me."

Uraraka's breath stilled as her heart flew at what felt like a million miles per minute. She searched the blonde's face for any sign of a grin or a smirk or heck, even a _smile_. Anything to tell her 'just kidding!' and then he'd ridicule and criticize her procrastinating habits like before. Yet, when only his solemn glare looked back at her, she did something that not only surprised him but herself as well. _She_ smiled. She smiled like the eager child who was finally found and caught, unwilling to run from her seeker's hold.

Bakugou ran a thumb over her lips and bit down gently on his own. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's honest to a fault. You're not even trying to deny it— smiling like an idiot."

"I just find it funny," Uraraka began to giggle, "You being so upfront with me like this after everything that's been said." She looked up at him and him back at her. "So what are you gonna do?"

"Be specific," Bakugou set his lure.

"Now that you know I've thought of you...that way."

Bakugou's lips twisted to a smirk. "To be blunt, I haven't gone out with anyone lately and I'm not looking for anything serious or long-term since it's the final year." Uraraka's brow furrowed at his implication, but he seemed to know what crossed her mind because he followed with, "Relax, I'm not proposing we do _that_."

While Uraraka's cheeks pinked again, her chocolate-brown eyes did indeed soften a tad.

Bakugou lifted her onto the couch and laid her on her back as he slowly climbed over her, his arms and knees the only support system keeping them a safe distance from each other. "The better question is, what do _you_ want me to do?"

"...You said you collected some experience points, right?" Uraraka whispered, "More than Kaminari? Todoroki? Kirishima?"

Bakugou angled his head in interest. He didn't know about the first two but he was at least confident in the last one. "Yeah," he answered anyway.

Uraraka held a fisted hand over her chest. "Then share some with me."

Bakugou frowned at her soft yet bold order. "I'm not a boyfriend simulator."

"I'm not asking you to be," Uraraka corrected him, "I just want answers to the questions I asked earlier."

"Hm, your curiosities," Bakugou smirked again.

Uraraka blushed deeper in return. "Ye-yes. So…" Her eyes looked straight into his. "Teach me."

The coffee maker beeped from the kitchen area, alerting the two that the piping hot beverage was ready. However, Bakugou's attention laid someplace hotter at the moment and she had just greenlit one of the darkest fantasies that habituated his mind. "Fine," he snickered quietly, "But you can't complain about anything that happens from here on, got that?"

Uraraka fought back a tremble of her shoulders and replied with a small smirk of her own, "What's there to complain about?"

Bakugou peeled her hands from her chest and forced her palms open, intertwining their fingers over her head and entangling them in locks of honey brown. He lowered his head partway, stopping just high enough to hover over her nose and lips. "It's better if you quit acting tough," he advised, having noticed the startled widening of her chocolatey doe eyes, "You're learning these things for the first time so if it's easier, just…" He paused, obviously disliking what he was about to murmur next.

"Just…?" Uraraka tilted her head.

"...Pretend I'm Deku...doing them to you," Bakugou finished.

Uraraka moved to protest the lowbrow idea but abruptly found Bakugou's lips over her own. "Mmmm!" she cried in astonishment, muffled by his passionate caress.

"And don't worry," Bakugou assured her as he pulled away for a breath, "This will be a one-time thing between you and me."

Uraraka hesitantly nodded. "...O-Okay." The vines were torn and burnt asunder, a path of cinder and ashes serving as Bakugou's guide as he revealed what was in his hand. A key— the coveted item which he lifted and stuck into the keyhole and, with an effortless twist of his hand, clicked the door open.

...

Amidst the labored grunts and sighs that filled the common room, Bakugou managed to pull back again for air and panted, "Don't think too much." He planted a hasty kiss on her lips. "Let yourself go. Just _feel_." He left another and another, one for every end of his sentence, his teeth lightly catching her lower lip with each dip of his head to coax it into separating from its upper counterpart.

Uraraka hung her head on his hand, letting as much of her writhing body mold into Bakugou's solid form as she could, fingernails clawing at the front of his black muscle shirt to rip it clean off. Or so she secretly wished. She felt his knees push between her thighs and, to her own surprise, they granted access without a second thought. The too eager blonde nestled between her legs, one of his hands having left hers to wander the curve of her right side. "Mmm...hmm..ahh…!" Uraraka gasped as he pushed his pelvis into her, earning a visit from his tongue when her lips parted. As their mouths restarted their dance, his hips ground slowly with hers, teaching its steady rhythm so she, too, could participate in the sensuous tango. She opened her eyes slightly when he fumbled with her shorts next, impatiently tugging down on the cotton material to expand his explorations.

Her mind was in a haze, fractured, brewing a dangerous thunderstorm that was reeling her in with every prod and twist of his tongue and every burning press of his thumb which wandered under her pink sweatshirt. She cursed herself for being lazy and ditching her undershirt this particular night but then again, she hadn't expected to spend quality time with anyone while she worked on her report, much less participate in an offhand makeout-and-more session with Bakugou. _Bakugou!_ The smoldering heat in her belly just about diminished at this realization, replaced by an icy chill of guilt that she could only deduce stemmed from having physically betrayed Midoriya. "Ah!" her breath thinned as her sweatshirt slid upwards.

On the Devil's side, Bakugou's instincts spun in a fiery frenzy, betraying his otherwise calm yet flushed expression as he moved from kissing Uraraka to trailing his tongue down her porcelain-smooth neck, stopping only to nip and suck at her clavicle.

"Hah...hnn…" she shuddered and craned her neck to provide him better access.

Her half-winded moans beguiled him to deliver only his best, to tattoo on her a first and lasting impression on people's darkest uninhibited pleasures. He would make it so when any other man touched her, she'd think back to this moment and derive her deepest lust from it, crying and writhing in spasms to _his_ touch than any of the unfortunate souls who trailed in after him. Against his better judgment, he took the liberty of stepping over the line first and swept both his hands under her sweatshirt to expose the soft skin of her stomach, then smirking at the absence of an undershirt. "You were expecting this, huh?" he practically purred into her inner thigh and proceeded to plant a soft kiss on the succulent flesh. A couple more tugs and he succeeded in pulling her shorts below her knees, unveiling a pair of... "Oh."

"Wh-what…" Uraraka stammered, clamping her knees together in an attempt to hide.

Bakugou would have none of it, which was made clear to the flustered girl when he pried her legs apart with little to no effort and continued to ogle at her-

"Stop staring!" Uraraka cried and tried to smack the overly curious blonde with her hand but to no avail.

"I just didn't expect you to be the lace-wearing type," Bakugou shrugged as he held Uraraka's offensive hand in midair, "It's ribbony along the edges but still a more mature choice than what I'd expect from you."

Uraraka covered her now vibrant face with her other arm. "I-I was...just…" she tried to explain only to lose her reason when Bakugou pushed himself up, pinned both her arms over her head, and reconnected their lips. "Baku...gou…" she panted, "I don't…I-I don't think...we should..."

He slipped her sweatshirt over her breasts and wantonly traced circles around their center areas with his thumbs, her thin black bra remaining the lone obstacle he had to penetrate in order to make direct contact with two of her most intimate areas. Her back arched to him, as if begging him to caress and play with her how he pleased because he was sure, in turn, it would please her just as much if not more. He kissed and whispered salaciously into her reddened ear, "Seems like you already know what you want."

Uraraka wrapped her arms around him in an almost desperate embrace. Despite their closeness, she still felt...empty...and depravingly so. 'More,' her body pleaded, pulling him down for another heated kiss. 'I want more.' His knee pinned her shorts to the couch as her legs moved up to wrap around his waist, consequently abandoning the material and leaving just her black and pink lace panties to keep her somewhat modest.

Bakugou pressed up against her, secretly admiring how her too-honest warmth permeated his lower clothing and welcomed him with her shapely legs serving as dutiful wardens to keep him in place. "Fuck…" He took a second's respite to break from their lip lock to yank his half-raised shirt over his head and to the ground, doomed to be forgotten in the same darkness where he continued to press and grind his awakened desire against Uraraka's own. He could tell that she was on the verge of concupiscent madness, her hips already gyrating in tandem with his.

Hot. Dizzy. Tingly. Hungry. Though still unsure of what to make of the strange hodgepodge of bodily sensations arising within her, Uraraka hung her arms over Bakugou's shoulders to pull him closer and deepen their kiss. She learned at least one thing— she liked this kind of kissing. _Loved_ it. Perhaps she was just dumbly fortunate to have Bakugou for a teacher to introduce the more intense version of it to her, but there was no denying that he left very little room for regret. It... _he..._ felt good. She wanted all and more of him. "Ahhh…" she groaned and bit her bruised lip as his other hand freed one of her breasts and wasted no time kneading it between his fingers. It was a sick mix of violation and overdue favor to have a boy fondle parts of her that her mother always advised in protecting until marriage. But what were baseless morals when long-suppressed sexual curiosity came into play? Her body felt amazing, she felt amazing, the whole atmosphere felt amazing… There couldn't be anything too wrong with what they were doing, right? In her half-lidded state, she saw his head dip down and take the chosen breast into his mouth, making her buck her hips in surprise. "Ah…!" Two of his waiting fingers slipped a little of a way in, caught and stopped by the thin material of her lacey underwear but still not failing to remind her how soaked she was.

"I take it you enjoyed that," he grinned at her and teasingly pulled the garter to the side.

Uraraka, with eyes glazed and heavy with desire, gingerly nodded in response. What would it have felt like if Bakugou had pushed in the whole way? How far would she have taken him? Would it have alleviated the persistent aching she felt inside? Just when she thought he'd given her answers, he'd actually given her more questions instead. "Bakugou, I…" she whimpered.

"Shhh…" Bakugou chided as he uncovered the other breast. It fell into his hand without complaint, molding into his palm with a pleasant bounciness that he could only compare to a combined product of a ripened mango and a plush toy. No, that was wrong. Such menial things did her body no justice. This was Uraraka Ochako— sweet and innocent little Ochako, committing an adulterated sin as old as time...with him. He leaned back a moment to take in the marvelous view— his left hand was greedily kneading both of her breasts, trying not to let either one fall out of his hold and his right hand was entertaining the moisture between her legs. "Fuck, I want you, Ochako," he mindlessly mumbled aloud.

His usage of her first name flew over Uraraka's head as his eager advancement inched closer to the root of her lust. "I-I...you…" she mewled weakly. It was then her shaken conscience traveled to a curly-haired boy that sat in the recess of her mind, waving and smiling jubilantly at her, clearly oblivious to the perfidy she was committing in front of him with Bakugou splayed over her, his dexterous hands spreading flames of indulgence over every exposed surface of her body in an unrelenting display of carnal dominance. 'Deku!'

Bakugou felt her stiffen under him and immediately broke from his ministrations. Uraraka laid flushed and breathless before him, her eyes shimmering with the danger of tears that threatened to fall at any moment. "What the hell happened?" he demanded, feeling his testosterone wane at the girl's disgruntled state. 'Shit, did I go too far with her?' his mind panicked as he sat both of them up and hurriedly fixed her hair.

"Sorry," Uraraka sniffed and rubbed her eyes, "I just...I couldn't help but think about...Deku."

"Hah?" Bakugou raised an eyebrow at her statement. "Who the fuck else are you supposed to think about?"

"...E-eh?" Uraraka's blinked dumbfoundedly.

Bakugou heaved a long and tired sigh and ran a hand through his spikes. "I already told you before we started this, didn't I? If it makes it any easier for you, just pretend I'm Deku so you don't play moral tug o' war with yourself."

"But that still doesn't make it right!" Uraraka parried with a vigorous shake of her head, "You're Bakugou! I can't simply label you 'Deku' and decide that I'm being faithful that way! You're-"

"Look, I'm not going to argue or force you to do anything you don't wanna do," Bakugou clarified, raising a hand to Uraraka's face. "This was all your idea. You asked me to teach you the answers to your questions about being intimate or whatever sappy shit you wanted. I agreed with the simple notion that in return, I'd get some form of instant physical gratification. One time only. That's it."

Uraraka looked away, the cold truth of his words permeating her unsteady heart.

"There aren't any 'feelings' involved in...this," Bakugou further elucidated, pointing at himself then at her, "So it's up to you. We can finish up this 'lesson' or we can stop while we're ahead. Either way, we'll go through the rest of the year and graduate peacefully like nothing ever happened. We won't ever talk about it either."

'No!' Uraraka wanted to scream but refrained from doing so because, deep down, she knew. "I, um…" The right thing to do would be to put an end to whatever it was they had started. She'd confessed her feelings to Midoriya beforehand and promised she'd wait for an answer, dooming herself to an intangible commitment to him. That, in itself, was done entirely out of her own volition. On the other hand, she wanted to know what else Bakugou wanted to show her, to demonstrate on her overly cooperative body, to reach into and pull from the civil teachings instilled in her the primal desires of man.

She squeezed her own arm.

In the end, Bakugou had only inserted the key; the door still repelled his attempts at pushing it open all the way. And Midoriya still stood behind him, smiling cluelessly as he awaited his turn.

Bakugou scowled at Uraraka's silence. "Right, I get it," he huffed and stood from the couch. He bent down to retrieve his things but halted when he felt a tug on his wrist. As much as he hated it, a sense of hope radiated in his chest when he turned to find Uraraka's blushing face looking longingly at him. His features immediately softened, his hand enveloping hers as he— as a betrayal to his own nature— _patiently_ waited for her answer.


	2. Chapter 2

Uraraka squeezed Bakugou's hand and asked, "I can...say Deku's name instead of yours...right?"

His eyes fell at her timid question to which he quietly answered, "Yeah."

"Then…" Uraraka's right leg shifted upwards, letting her shorts it dragged fall from the couch as she, a little forcibly, pulled Bakugou to her. "Finish your lesson..." Her eyes glistened. "Deku."

A sickening feeling settled in Bakugou's stomach at being called the name he ironically had bestowed on Midoriya to ridicule him when they were children. Back then, he strongly and arrogantly believed Midoriya had no talent for anything, that he'd never amount to anything. 'Deku.' Now, that name was a permanent reminder of the curly-haired boy's former ineptitude as well as his threat of being Bakugo's greatest rival. He cursed Uraraka for giving that nickname a whole new meaning and wished she'd use at least Midoriya's actual name for tonight. But the discomfort Bakugo felt at being called the chosen nickname was minuscule compared to the one growing in his shorts. "Now you're catching on." Revealing a devilish smirk, he pushed the shadows of his doubts aside and yanked her entire sweatshirt over her arms and head.

"Hey, wait a- Ah!" Uraraka yelped in surprise as Bakugou then pulled her to her knees and cannily dominated her breasts, sparing neither their turn at being nipped and sucked to satisfaction. "Ahh…" she sighed dreamily and let her weight fall forward with his, their positions now switched as she straddled him against the back pillows. His tongue ran its lap under the breast it occupied, helping scoop the generous flesh to his mouth. Face flushed with avidity, she circled her arms around his neck and offered him a heftier portion of her teat with a slow push of her torso. He readily accepted with another hard suck, groaning when her fingers shot up to his hair and began massaging his scalp. "Nnn…" Her voice was thin and soft. "Ahh...s-slow down, Baku-"

"You're not supposed to call me that, remember?" Bakugou bit down gently on her nipple and pinched the other with his thumb and index finger.

"Kyaaah!" Uraraka squealed both out of pain and delight.

"Not while we're doing this." Bakugou continued to suckle on her breast as his hands grazed down her smooth back, following its curvy path down to her ass. He frowned at the lacey underwear that covered what he expected to be more soft and bouncy flesh, but he was no barbarian. He looked up at Uraraka and whispered, "There's no going back once I do what I'm about to do."

That was Bakugou language for, 'Are you sure you want to keep going?' Uraraka surmised without a struggle. Her hands were shaking but so was the rest of her body. 'Deku.' Only her morals could stop her now but she would push them aside in her deal with the Devil tonight. Besides, he'd given her permission to call him that other name if it helped ease her guilt. Having taken their deed as far as they already did, she'd have no qualms taking him up on that offer now. "I know," she smiled.

Bakugou smirked at her approval and ripped her underwear down, not caring where it fell to as he threw it aside and then zealously filled his hands with her second set of bountiful mounds. They were much bigger in the lower area, obviously, and felt just as good to squeeze and press like the upper pair. What made these just a tad bit better though was his ability to-

 ** _Slap!_**

"Gah!" Uraraka cried at the sudden assault of his palm on her buttocks, "What was that for?!"

"What's wrong?" Bakugou chuckled at her, "Not a fan?" He gave her reddened bum a playful pat, openly admiring how it jiggled and clenched under his hand.

Uraraka blushed. It was her first time seeing Bakugou actually... _smile_. And it wasn't in a sadistic or malevolent way either. He actually looked like he was having a good time...with her.

Bakugou noticed her lingering stare and immediately scowled. "Hey, you."

"Huh?" Uraraka blinked.

"You'd better not be catching any weird feelings for me," Bakugou cautioned her, "Girls always overthink about this stuff so if that's the case-"

"Pffft!" Uraraka snorted, catching Bakugou off guard, "Me? Catch feelings for you? Geez, your ego is as big as your head!"

Bakugou let out a relieved sigh. "So you're not, right?"

Uraraka shook her head. "I'm not _that_ clueless. I know what kind of deal we have here and we both already agreed to the terms." She placed her hands on his shoulders and beamed, "You're Deku and you're going to teach me new experiences tonight."

"Damn straight." Bakugou pulled her down for a passionate kiss. He enjoyed how she entered his mouth first this time, _commanding_ his tongue to join hers for another hot and sloppy dance. As a reward, he brazenly ran a hand from her butt to her stomach, up her rib and stopped atop of the breast he had not yet given a second treatment to. He felt her buck to his hold and lowered his head then.

Uraraka rolled her chest and shoulders, smiling as more of her breast disappeared into Bakugou's mouth. "More…" came her reticent whimper.

Bakugou resisted the urge to give her bum another appreciative slap, given her disgruntled response earlier, and instead continued to massage it. Though, to his glee, her body was already growing accustomed to his touch and also getting rather...impatient. 'Well this is some interesting role reversal,' he jeered inwardly as she pressed herself into him and rolled her hips. He looked up at her and, pleasantly, felt his breath leave him.

The laptop screen's ultramarine glow sat on Uraraka's curves just right, offering a risqué and photo-perfect view of her well-toned body. Her lips glistened dimly as she pulled on them with her teeth and the amorous sighs she emitted only complemented her darkened cheeks. He thanked the gods that her eyes were closed. It spared him the worry that she might see the contented warmth in his eyes that he just _knew_ would be too obvious right now. He couldn't help it. This side to her just looked so candid...alluring...sexy…

Beautiful.

"Damn." He chuckled to himself. Just earlier, he had told this girl how she wasn't his type at all, which, a certain amount of that was true. And now? Now his hands were stubborn to leave her. He finally managed to pry them from her waist enough to reach up to her face and gently pull her closer to his gaze. Her hardened nipples grazed just above his, burning and swelling him with every poke and rub on his skin. She was hungry. He could feel it in the strength of her luscious thighs that grappled his waist. Luckily, he knew just how to satiate her.

"Deku…" Uraraka breathed heavily on his lips.

Bakugou froze for a second, frowned again, but continued to let both his hands wander down from her sides to the lower curves of her ass. He followed its path with his fingers, smirking when he finally happened upon a warm and moist area. She'd dripped down to her inner thigh even, surprising him to just how heated she really was. He let her breathe her impatience into his ear and in exchange, she let him nuzzle her neck and trace its surface with quick and light kisses.

"Let me feel..." Uraraka continued to moan and shifted her hips in an unconscious search for him. "I...I want you..." She kept her eyes shut tight in fear that seeing any face other than the person's name she was calling would break her. She knew she stood at the edge of the cliff now and the path behind her had crumbled away. There was no turning back.

Or rather, she didn't want to turn back.

'Please!' she begged the spectral image of Midoriya then audibly cried, "Take me, Deku!"

As soon as she made her plea, something penetrated her from down south, pulling a scream from her throat as it shoved its way in. "Ahhh! I-it feels good...Deku…"

Behind closed eyes, Midoriya sat under her, thrusting into her with a serene smile while she thrashed and writhed violently with want. His hand squeezed her thigh and she leaned back just as his mouth found her breast and sucked heatedly on it. "Deku!" His teeth enclosed on the bud. "Deku!" Ecstasy burned her insides, arching her back even further until she felt its flames engulf all of her. She leaned her weight on him and tangled her fingers in his hair, his lips tearing from her body in the process. Her naked breasts fell and bounced against his chest but she didn't care how 'shameless' it was anymore. She savored the contact.

"You're tight," he hissed as she happily took the rest of him in. For this, he left an approving kiss on her neck.

Uraraka felt his pace quicken. "De-Deku…" she stammered, burying her nails into his shoulder, "Wait…I-I feel like...I'm going to…" _Pee?_ Her fingers left his shoulder to grab the couch for balance and she blushed furiously, unable to utter the word. Was that even the right one to describe what she was feeling? "Deku...I can't..." She felt something tear inside of her and winced. 'What was that?' She pulled on his hair. "Wait, Deku!" But he only thrust faster, building the pressure in her loins and sending waves of fire and electricity through her body. "N-no!" she sobbed, "If...if you keep going, I...ahh...hah...I, ah-"

"Just give into it, Uraraka," a throaty whisper blew in her ear.

It sounded deeper than Midoriya's voice, a predatory bloodlust in its raspy tone.

Uraraka quietly gasped. 'That's not-' There wasn't enough time to finish her thought as the built-up pressure suddenly rose and inflated, followed shortly by a breathtaking release of euphoric ignition in her belly. She frantically pulled away, searching her mind for a million things to do with the sensations she was feeling— scorched, dazed, heart racing in her chest, arousal peaking in her core where he continued to push and push, faster and faster— she arched her back the furthest she could manage. "Hyaaaaah!" came her screams of pain and rapture. "Deku! Ahh! Oh, my g- Deku!" Tears streamed down her eyes as he cradled her. She was scared, unsure of what was happening to her body as she continued to twitch in his arms. Yet at the same time, she felt... _so_ good.

At that moment, in a bright flash of white light, her vision of Midoriya was replaced by a labored and unclothed Bakugou, his hands clamped tight on both sides of her hips as to keep her from falling. He looked hungrily up at her, smirked, then pulled her down. Another explosion struck her core and she instinctively bit down on his shoulder, earning a pained grunt from him. Oh, how this person's name begged to jump from her tongue but she had to remember her promise. "...D-Deku…" she sighed instead. The last surge of electricity ripped through her skin, tore at her nerves, and numbed her limbs before she gave a final groan and fell to a panting heap on top of the person that wasn't Midoriya.

"Shit."

Uraraka opened her eyes at last, her vision clearing away the faint phantom of benevolent emerald orbs to find draconian scarlet ones glowering back at her. They didn't appear to be upset, strangely enough. In fact, their owner was smirking with what she could only discern to be smug satisfaction, his ash-blonde bangs doing very little to hide such a cocky expression.

"Didn't mean to ruin your fantasy ride at the last second there, round-face," he sneered, quite unapologetic of how proud he looked, "But you need to get a literal grip on reality before you send us flying over the stratosphere."

"What are you...whoa-ho-whoa!" Uraraka screamed for the umpteenth time that night but for good reason this time. They were hovering over the common room's center area, Bakugou keeping them in place with one hand and the other under her- "Kyaaaah! I can't believe this! I'm so-"

"Just skip the damn apologies and put us down!" Bakugou grumbled, "I'm starting to get sore from holding out for so long." He glanced down at himself. 'And I mean that in more ways than one.'

"R-right!" Uraraka pressed her fingertips together and released her quirk, promptly dropping themselves and the couch back in place with a resounding _thud!_ A moan escaped her lips when Bakugou's fingers slipped into her upon impact and it was then that she realized that he was still probing inside of her. "U-um…do you mind…"

Bakugou raised his brow, feigning astonishment for a split second before pulling his digits out of her. "Had fun?" he sneered and held up his hand, "You've left one hell of a mess for me to clean up, y'know. You're lucky my shorts are black."

Uraraka's hands flew over her mouth as she gasped, "What...what happened?! What did I-" Strange. She could see what transpired because of her laptop screen's low lighting but definitely didn't remember being on her period. In fact, she just finished her last cycle about a week prior.

"Relax, loser," Bakugou snubbed, "This shit happens." Seeing the mortified look on Uraraka's face, he held up his stained fingers and rubbed her fluids together, emitting a lewd, squishy sound that made the gravity manipulator cringe. "But now you're stuck with the hilarious fact that you lost your virginity to my _fingers._ Bet you're feeling damn proud of yourself now, aren't ya?"

Uraraka shoved his hand away, her cheeks glowing redder than ripe tomatoes. "That...that wasn't your... _thing_ in…i-in...?!" she fumed.

"Ah?" Bakugou smirked. "My 'thing'? Ditch the elementary terms and call it what it is— my penis. Or if you insist on being more 'age-appropriate' about it, my _dick_."

Uraraka's eyes flitted left and right, up and down. She didn't want to admit it, but she was inexplicably furious. She felt cheated. Humiliated. "All that time I thought we were…" she mumbled, "That Deku was…"

"Don't you want to save your actual first time for that nerd?" Bakugou countered. His eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. Funny. It looked like she was actually just taking what he said into consideration. This girl couldn't be _that_ oblivious about herself, could she? Masking disconcertion with his normal grimace, he turned away from her. "Idiot. Don't take too long answering an easy question or else you'll look like a dumbass."

Uraraka fell silent, her body growing more numb and cold as Bakugou left her side. He ventured to the kitchen area and she listened as the faucet twisted and released the sound of running water then turned off after about a minute or two. He returned shortly with what looked like a wet paper towel in his now-clean hand and, to her stupor, bent down to eye level with her feminine area. "What are you doing?!"

" _Again_ with the screaming." Bakugou curled his lips in annoyance and carefully straightened the bumbling brunette against the back pillows, making sure to keep her butt from planting fully on the cushion. "For your information, I'm cleaning you up before the blood dries up. You can do a more thorough job of it later when you take a bath but it'll be hard for you to move around looking like a murdered mess." He noticed her knees inching closer together and rolled his eyes. "You're gonna have to open your legs a little wider, round-face. Your knees aren't the ones that need cleaning."

"I-I can do that myself-" Uraraka began to protest.

"Open…your damn...legs," Bakugou growled.

Uraraka swallowed and reluctantly complied. It was such a strange scenario— a guy demanding she open her legs for him...so he could clean her. What the heck? She watched as he began work along her thighs first. 'Only Bakugou.' "Do-don't do...anything weird…"

"What's 'weirder' than what we already did?"

"...Touché."

"Hmph."

A few minutes of silence passed with Bakugou knelt between Uraraka's legs, cleaning away at whatever bloody stain he could find. Some had indeed dripped onto her knees, the inner area at least. By the time he finished cleaning her bottom, his paper towel was already soaked to a murky red. "I'll be back so hold that position," he instructed as he went to fetch another wet paper towel.

"Hmm…" Uraraka mumbled, "This is still weird."

"Just suck it up," Bakugou bantered only to blush at the slight regret of his choice of words. He cleared his throat. "I'm doing this for your sake."

'But _why_ though?' Uraraka wanted to ask but decided against it when he returned and knelt down to clean more of her. The warm paper towel was wiping her delicate area now, stirring a familiar tingle in the farther depths of that region.

"Wider."

"...Mm."

Bakugou swallowed thickly as Uraraka obeyed a little more easily this time, spreading her legs and granting him visual access to the source of her warmth. 'Easy, Katsuki,' he calmed his racing heart, 'You just need to clean her up and you two can go along your merry way. Everything will be back to normal by tomorrow.' He started slow strokes on her, staining the pure white paper towel in his hand with her blood. She twitched visibly under his touch which, in turn, made his shorts feel tighter than they already were.

"Are you...done?" Uraraka almost struggled to ask.

Bakugou looked up at her, studying the growing blush on her face. "No," he grunted, "I just started." Feeling more daring, he slowly pushed her legs further apart with his own hands and was happy to find that she offered no resistance this time.

Uraraka mustered the nerve to look up at him and questioned, "He-hey, why...why'd you stop?"

'Fuck,' Bakugou cursed himself as he wiped the remaining blood, 'What have I gotten myself into?' He slid the paper towel down and could have sworn he heard her moan a bit. 'One-time thing,' he reminded himself, 'It was just a one-time thing between you and her! Don't you dare forget whose name she was screaming when you were just finger-fucking her!' His hand stopped at her entrance. 'Huh?' The heat in his abdomen dissipated. Why did that sort of thing suddenly matter now? He was the one who advised her to call Midoriya's name throughout the whole simulation. He'd admit, each time the guy's name came up was like a jab to his pride, hence, he couldn't bring himself to take her the whole way through. But when she looked so longingly up at him like this, her body sprawled in raw, lustful helplessness, his mind just couldn't help but turn...muddy.

"Ahh, so you guys are up, too?" Kirishima's voice drifted down the hallway outside the common room, instantly freezing Bakugou and Uraraka.

"There's no way we'll finish our report if we don't get up at this ungodly hour," Mina's voice echoed next.

"I fell asleep without knowing so this is punishment, I guess-ribbit," Asui croaked back.

' _SHIIIIIIIT!'_

Bakugou And Uraraka immediately hopped off of the couch and rummaged the floor for their discarded clothes. Luckily for Bakugou, he only had to throw on his shirt and make sure it wasn't inside-out. As for Uraraka…

"Where are my panties?!" she cried.

"How the hell should I know?!" Bakugou whisper-roared, "They're _your_ panties!"

Uraraka stomped an angry foot on the ground. " _You're_ the one who pulled them off me and threw it to who-knows-where!"

"Argh, forget about them for now! Just…" Bakugou shoved her breasts back in her bra and threw her pink sweatshirt and black cotton shorts at her in succession. "Hurry and look somewhat normal!"

"Bu-but my-"

"Just do it!"

Uraraka quickly slid her legs into her shorts and slipped into her sweatshirt, making sure to flatten her hair in the process. Thank goodness Bakugou had the decency to keep her clothes outside-in like a 'gentleman,' making her wonder just about how much experience he really had doing these sorts of things with other girls. 'Well that was an annoying thought,' she found as a sour feeling crept into her stomach. She was on her way to turn on the lights when the doorknob began to turn. 'Crap!'

"Turn it on!" Bakugou rushed her.

Uraraka dove for the switch, successfully flipping the lights on just as Kirishima, Mina, and Asui walked inside, startled by the brunette's sudden presence. "Hi, guys!" she greeted meekly.

"Ochako?" Mina and Asui tilted their heads.

"Uraraka?" Kirishima took it a step further and whipped his head to the center area where her rear was pointed. "Bakugou?!"

Now everyone's stares were on the blonde who stood suspiciously behind the common room couch, bent awkwardly over for whatever reason. He scowled back at them and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Asui studied the vicinity and suddenly asked, "Why were you two sitting in here with the lights off-ribbit?"

' _SHIIIIIIIT!'_

Bakugou and Uraraka did their best to keep their faces straight and unnerved. In a normal situation, Asui's keen perception would be seen as an admirable trait but in this case, they wished she would just keep her mouth closed.

"We, uh, we were just…" Uraraka started.

"You look really flushed, too, Ochako," Mina mumbled and placed a hand on her friend's forehead, "Are you catching a cold?"

"We were…" Bakugou interrupted, commanding the attention of everyone present. He glared first at Uraraka then at Kirishima and just strictly at Kirishima. "We were watching comedy videos."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

All four stared back at him, disbelief marred on their faces. 'Seriously?' Uraraka fumed from inside, 'That's the best you've got? Comedy videos?!'

"And we just finished so Uraraka was about to turn the lights back on when you dorks walked in," Bakugou scoffed and moved to the table to retrieve his laptop and reading glasses.

"Comedy videos, eh?" Mina purred, "Does the _great_ Bakugou Katsuki really have time to do that kind of stuff when there's an analysis report due in three hours? I'm so jealous."

"..." Bakugou and Uraraka looked up at the wall clock— 5:05 A.M.

' _SHIIIIIIIT!'_

"Mind your own business, ink face!" Bakugou snarled and stomped hurriedly towards the door where the others stood, "I do what I want!"

"M-me, too!" Uraraka piped up and ran back to get her laptop as well, "Time to get my ess- I mean, _sleep!_ Time to get some, err, sleep! Yeah."

Kirishima scratched his head, blushing at the sight of Uraraka mindlessly keeping her buttocks up in the air while gathering her items from the center table, a clear contour of her cheeks pressed to her shorts.

Bakugou caught this and yanked the redhead's collar his way instead. "Where do you think you're looking, eh, Kirishima?"

'Crap,' Kirishima flustered, 'He knows I took his coffee! He's gonna kill me for sure!' "Err...erm...s-say!" he half-heartedly laughed, "Guess what I just got last night? An email from Midoriya!"

While Mina and Asui cheered, Bakugou and Uraraka fell silent, both with grave looks on their faces.

"Look! See?" The oblivious Kirishima proceeded to pull out his phone and opened the message screen. "He's coming back to U.A.! He said he wasn't sure when just yet, but thinks it's soon." He turned to Uraraka. "He tried reaching you first, Uraraka, but you weren't answering his calls so he messaged me, Todoroki, and Iida instead."

"I hope it's right at the end of the semester!" Mina jumped with him, "It'd be perfect because then we can all go to Karaoke to celebrate his comeback! You'd better come, too, Bakugou!"

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "Don't count on it."

"Aren't you excited, Uraraka?" Kirishima smiled, "We haven't seen the guy for almost half a school year so I bet you miss him a lot."

Uraraka stood up straight and hugged her laptop. "I…"

Kirishima frowned, concerned by her gloomy reaction. "Uraraka?"

Uraraka turned to face her friends, a bright smile plastered on her face as she chirped, "Of course I miss him! Why wouldn't I? In fact…" She glanced at Bakugou who glared back at her. "I think I might have missed him a little too much."

He kept quiet, rolling his gaze to the side and shifting his shoulder between them as he crossed his arms.

"Oh! She went red again," Asui pointed.

"Eh?" Uraraka hiccupped.

"Awww…" Mina clasped her hands together and blushed. "Someone still has a little crush! Geez, you've gotta do something about that already. It's been three years!"

"Eh?!" Uraraka squeaked louder and hid behind her laptop. "I-it's not like that! I just meant-"

Blah.

Blah.

...And blah.

Bakugou promptly exited the common room, unable to tolerate any more of their senseless conversation. He heard them calling him back but he'd be damned if he actually returned to... _that_. "Damn."

It was a one-time thing. That was it. That was all.

He marched up to the second floor, entered his room, and slammed the door shut. "Damn it!" It took all of his strength not to slam his laptop on his desk, his hands shaking with frustration at having received the news— Midoriya was coming back.

" _I think I might have missed him a little too much."_

Shit. Maybe he _should_ have gone the whole way with Uraraka because now it suddenly felt like unfinished business.

'What do you mean?' his conscience berated, 'She 'finished up' just like you intended. Besides, even if it's you, you wouldn't do that to Uraraka. Or to Deku.'

What was his mind referring to? Bakugou could only scoff at it, his own moral standings. If the two did indeed have feelings for each other, they should be the ones to consummate on that commitment. As bizarre as it sounded, it sat better with Bakugou knowing he didn't deprive either of them that chance just because of quick and blind lust. He liked to believe he was still a respectable guy after all.

" _He's coming back to U.A.!"_

'We finished what we started,' he assured his ego as he sat down at his desk and opened his laptop. 'She got what she wanted from me.' He opened a private window and entered an all too familiar URL.


	3. Chapter 3

The low whirring of the dormitory's washing machine served as Bakugou's only alarm clock. That was if he ever slept in the first place. He stifled a heavy yawn, watching lethargically as the black sheets tumbled and twisted in the foamy white suds. He cringed, knowing that entangled in those sheets was Uraraka's stained underwear. It only seemed right to take responsibility and clean what he had tarnished, after all.

"Doing laundry before class?" Kirishima, munching on half a slice of toast, laughed from the laundry room doorway, "That could only mean one thing…"

"Shut the fuck up!" Bakugou quickly rebuked, slapping an explosive and rendered-harmless palm on Kirishima's hardened face.

The redhead simply waved the smoke and dust away, slightly regretting his choice of sneaking up on Bakugou and costing himself his precious toast. "I just wanted to tell you that breakfast already started," he coughed, "So you should get down to Lunch Rush before they run out of the good stuff."

"I'll go when I go," Bakugou snarled, "I don't need a babysitter telling me my schedule."

"Just doing my right-hand man dues," Kirishima chuckled and jogged up the stairs to leave. "See you in class, Bakugou!"

Once he was certain Kirishima had left, Bakugou leaned an elbow against the washing machine, scowling at the growing tightness in his uniform pants despite their usual slack.

Seeing how the wet sheets tangled and tugged at each other wildly in the machine had warmed his face, stirring in his mind a scene where he'd taken Uraraka to his bed and there, under the soft vanilla rays of sunlight peeking through his curtains, they forgot about the urgencies of time and simply held each other as they broke from the spell of sleep. Nude and comfortably warm under his blankets, he'd wake her up with a tender kiss on the lips and knew that she'd, maybe shyly, kiss him back. Whispers of 'good morning' would be exchanged between them before he crawled on top of her and filled his hands with her supple breasts, keeping his lips on hers to provide her the utmost comfort and pleasure.

"Oh, Bakugou…" the imaginary Uraraka would sigh and smile at him, _only_ him, and he'd pass his tongue to hers in silent thanks for it. Her legs would encircle his waist, slowly guiding him into her entrance and he'd make slow, sound love to her then, devouring every whimper and mewl that escaped her luscious lips.

Or… Perhaps she'd still hurt. Perhaps she'd still cry as his cruel hardness struck her walls.

So what?

To him, the answer was obvious. He'd lick and kiss what he could of her pain and fears away and intertwine their fingers under the thin black sheets to remind her that he was there. "Relax, Uraraka," he'd whisper to her as he continued his steady thrusts, groaning deeply as she lifted her legs higher so her knees locked to his biceps. Like a slow push-up, he'd balance his weight on his hands as he slid deeper into her, wantonly grunting aloud her name when-

Bakugou grimaced darkly and shook his head. 'Shit, I've gotta calm down. It's barely morning and I'm still washing the aftermath of what happens when I lose control.'

Indeed, he was promised unconditional confidentiality by his overactive imagination that _thankfully_ only played in _his_ mind. However, it didn't change the fact that Uraraka frequented his thoughts now and not in the most modest of ways, either. And rhetorically, even if he entertained his little fantasies just to get things over and done with— they'd kiss a little, probably fuck for a whole night, fuck once in the morning again...then what? They were already too socially close (for his standards) for the kind of relationship he was considering with her, if he could even call it that, and was more than sure nothing good would come out of it. Between losing her as a _friend_ and losing her as one of his few most trusted comrades, he couldn't quite decide which was worse.

'I'd rather not lose her at all.'

He gagged at his mind's honesty and the unkind actuality that life had given him a heavy torch, its furious flames sweltering and raging inside their cone-shaped prison, demanding to be freed. Even though they could easily be put out by one hefty dousing, they still longed for a freedom where they could consume all that they touched, _ached_ for it even. Bakugou was reminded of his own heart's frailty and greed.

Gazing at the torch in his hand and the dry bales of hay that surrounded him, he couldn't help but secretly wonder—

How bad could things possibly get?

.

.

.

.

In the end, despite bathing away her sins about two times over and watching online pet videos to distract herself from the reality of what she had succumbed herself to, Uraraka still couldn't get tidbits of weird, but not completely unwanted, Bakugou fantasies out of her head and had been lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and replaying them since she got back to her room. In doing so, she made herself flustered and hot and ultimately unmotivated to construct a coherent analysis paper despite the discount-store electric fan blowing in her face for the remainder of...dawn. "Geez…" she groaned after checking her phone for the current time, "I feel like I just got beaten up. And why are my eyes swollen?"

A message preview pinked her cheeks:

' _Good morning, Uraraka— Izuku M.'_

"Deku!" She flipped over on her stomach and excitedly opened the message from her inbox to read its entirety but was, however, met with disappointment upon discovering that...that was it. 'It's something,' she told herself and shyly typed back: _'Good morning! How have you been? I heard you're coming back?'_

As expected of Midoriya, she didn't have to wait long because he responded shortly with: _'I don't have an exact date yet but yes! Just a couple more meetings left and I'll be home free.'_

Uraraka smiled fondly at the device in her hands, imagining Midoriya's lovable freckled face in its place. Her heart gave a light flutter as she giddily typed back: _'I'm looking forward to seeing you-'_ Her fingers stopped. After a bit of staring, her thumbs moved and hovered over the other number pads, making occasional hesitant dips as she searched her _intelligence_ for a not-too-obviously-eager response. She shook her head and deleted the message, typing in its place instead: _'See you then!'_

One minute passed, then two...three…and then finally: _'See you soon, Uraraka. I've missed you.'_

Uraraka's smile grew to a goofy size at reading the direct address to her and she began typing a heartfelt reply when-

' _I've got to go now. Is it ok if we talk later?'_

She paused then typed back: _'Sure!'_ but quickly changed it to a _'Sure'_ and sent the less enthusiastic version through. She sat up and stretched to a long and noisy yawn.

"Uraraka?" Yaoyorozu knocked softly on her door, "Are you alright? It's getting late. You should hurry and catch breakfast before they cut off the serving time."

"Hmm…" Uraraka sleepily moaned, "What are they serving today?"

"Grilled mackerel and fried egg with rice! You also get a choice of cheddar broccoli or sweet n' sour vegetable soup. Or toast."

Uraraka flew out of bed, gathered her shoulder-length hair into a messy mini bun, and threw on the first uniform set she had hanging on her door. Not even five minutes passed when she bolted out of her room, startling Yaoyorozu with, "That sounds absolutely amazing! Are there any left?!"

Yaoyorozu regained her composure and cleared her throat. "Perhaps? You should hurry down to the cafeteria to be sure. Breakfast started hours ago-"

"Thanks, Yaomomo!" Uraraka eagerly squealed and dashed down the hallway. She wanted to smack herself for nearly sleeping through breakfast— _free_ and _delicious_ hot breakfast— but saved her energy for the sprint she had to make to the cafeteria. When she arrived, only a few students still lingered at the tables either finishing up their meals or making idle chit-chat. She darted to the counter where the morning cooks were packing away and cleaning the pots and cried, "I want the mackerel breakfast, please! With sweet n' sour soup!"

The lady washing dishes nearest to the front turned around and clapped her hands, releasing a gust of air that dried her palms and arms immediately. She still wiped them on her apron as a precaution before approaching Uraraka with an apologetic bow. "I'm sorry, we just served the last batch of that a couple of minutes ago. We're closing up to prepare the lunch menu and classes are about to start so..."

"Oh…" Uraraka sighed, rubbing her growling belly.

The lady noticed this and smiled to comfort the dejected girl. "However, I believe we still have some plain rice gruel left if you want that. I'm afraid that's all we can offer you right now. Come in a little earlier next time and you'll be in for a better treat!"

Uraraka nodded sadly. "Rice gruel will be okay, thank you…" she mumbled. What more could she say? She was late. Therefore, she had to face the consequences. On the bright side, she received her order in prompt timing and the bowl was pleasantly steamy. "Thank you," she bowed and took her tray of rice gruel and sesame bread to find a table to sit in.

A speck of blonde caught her eye and sure enough, it was Bakugou, sitting by himself at the furthest corner of the cafeteria reading something on his phone. She cringed, blushed, then lit up at the thought of joining him and decided to do just that to clear any awkward air between them. She walked briskly enough to lift his gaze to her. His default scowl didn't change at her arrival but after seeing what was on his untouched tray, her sugar-sweet demeanor quickly turned sour. "What the?!" she pointed accusingly at him.

Bakugou pulled back by reflex, nearly dropping his phone. "What the fuck's your problem?!"

"You took _my_ food!" Uraraka whined, practically drooling over his tray of mackerel, fried egg, and rice. He had chosen cheddar broccoli for soup, the flavor she didn't much care for, but it still looked appetizing nonetheless.

" _Your_ food?" Bakugou yanked his tray from her reach. "I got here on time and ordered this fairly like everyone else." He looked down at her bubbling rice gruel and sneered, "Maybe next time, you'll get your lazy ass out of bed and fall in line earlier to get the food you want."

"You weren't that much earlier than me!" Uraraka argued.

"I was early enough to get _this_ ," Bakugou gloated back, "Either way, the early bird gets the worm and you're no early chirper so hands off of _my_ food!"

They stared each other down, both too stubborn to admit defeat until Uraraka's stomach cried its surrender and dropped her in her seat first. "Fine…" she sighed and slurped up the gruel.

Bakugou eyed her one more time to make certain it wasn't a feigned defeat before separating his chopsticks and setting to work on the grilled mackerel. "Why are you even sitting here?" he asked as he took his first bite, "There are plenty of empty seats to go around."

"I want to make sure your Baku Rage Aura is under control," Uraraka smiled almost too proudly, "So here I am! Now deal with it."

"Hmph, suit yourself."

"Fine."

They ate in silence, Bakugou taking occasional small bites of his meal while keeping his eyes on whatever it was on his phone he found fascinating and Uraraka, poor and phoneless having rushed out of her room that morning, darting her eyes between her rice gruel and him. As the minutes passed, however, she couldn't help but feel some other students' gazes on them. To test her suspicions, she dabbed a napkin on her lips and glanced to the neighboring corner of the room. A group of what looked like first-year girls were staring at her and Bakugou. They whispered some things to each other, threw her skeptical looks, then snickered. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Uraraka brought the napkin down to her tray and stared glumly at her food.

Bakugou looked up at her from his smartphone. "What's stuck up your ass now?"

"Nothing is up there!" Uraraka blushed furiously, "I'm just starting to feel full, that's all."

Bakugou looked down at her bowl which was still practically filled to the rim. "Yeah right." He rolled his eyes and dragged her tray to his side.

"Hey-" Uraraka started but fell silent when he pushed his tray to her. "What are you-"

"I'm not in the mood for seafood after all," Bakugou reasoned, not looking at her as he scooped the gruel into his mouth, "You take that shit. I'm good with just this."

Uraraka hesitantly took the chopsticks he placed atop the rice bowl. "Are you sure, Bakugou?" she asked, "This is _way_ better than what you're eating right now. I'd feel bad taking-"

"If you don't eat it, I'll throw it in the damn trash bin!" Bakugou flared, "So what's it gonna be, round-face?"

Uraraka smiled brightly at him and dug into the fish and rice. "Thank you for the food!" she happily munched and plopped the fried egg into her mouth. She nearly choked trying to swallow everything down but he slid her his chilled water bottle, saving her from an embarrassing death. Again.

"You idiot," he scolded, "What are you, two? Learn to chew your food properly! No wonder the lunch lady gave you fuckin' porridge. You're a hazard to yourself."

"Sorry…" she grinned sheepishly and bit on a smaller portion of rice. "Happy now?"

Bakugou stirred his spoon. "I'm never happy."

"You got me there." As Uraraka laughed, she caught a glimpse of the girls leaving their table. She stared after them and couldn't help but wonder, with his strange mix of infamy and popularity within U.A. and holding the reputation of having only Kirishima for his closest and most trusted friend, just how lucky was she, an outsider of that 'bubble,' to be able to hold casual conversations with Bakugou like this? Had she been taking him for granted all this time?

"Good riddance," Bakugou huffed and put his phone back in his pocket. "Those weirdos were on my ass since I got here. I just thought it was hilarious how nasty their faces looked the second you stepped in."

"Nasty?" Uraraka feigned innocence.

Bakugou glared at her for it. "The kind of look you give someone when they're about take the last scrap of cake on the dessert table. You know the one."

"Errrm…"

"Yeah, don't think I didn't see you looking at them earlier."

"Oh...ye-yeah…" Uraraka couldn't bring herself to take another bite of her food. Her heart was skipping too fast for her to breathe properly, her cheeks were overheating, and she hated herself so much for suddenly smiling so widely.

To think she could feel so happy after just a simple acknowledgment that he was looking at her all this time...

'Stop.' She shook her head. That way of thinking just wasn't right no matter how she looked at it. She had to look for a different kind of happiness, one that actually made sense. "Ah, so Deku's coming back," she digressed, "He emailed me this morning confirming it but, like Kirishima said, he still doesn't have a specific date for his return."

"Hm," Bakugou snorted.

"...Uh, when do you think he'll get here?"

"Why're you asking me? I don't keep tabs on that nerd unless necessary."

"Right…" Uraraka rubbed the back of her head. "I don't know why I thought you might be more up to date about him than me. Hmm. Aren't you curious about where he's been?"

"Nope."

"Do you think he'll come sometime this week?" Uraraka tried again.

"Don't know, don't care," Bakugou deadpanned.

'What's with this atmosphere?' Uraraka pondered as she pensively stuffed a piece of the fish into her mouth. 'He was fine until just a moment ago.'

Bakugou stood up from the table and collected his tray. "If you need to spazz about Deku's great return to someone, go talk to one of your girlfriends about it. I'm not cut out for that shit."

"Eh? But-"

"And by the way," Bakugou cut her off. 'About last night' was supposed to follow but remained hindered on his tongue. He saw her open her mouth to say something, but he immediately thwarted her with, "Nevermind. Forget it."

"Oh." Uraraka circled the top of her palm with her thumb.

"...We both got what we wanted already so that's the end of that," Bakugou grumbled as he strode past her.

Uraraka wasn't sure what to say to that vague line. Would this be the right time to take a risk and tell Bakugou the what had been on her mind or…? "W-wait!" she yipped, "What do you-"

This time, Bakugou didn't wait for her to finish. He just placed his tray of half-finished gruel at the Drop Off station and promptly left the cafeteria.

Uraraka tried her best to eat the remainder of her meal but was repelled by the nausea growing in her gut. And it wasn't from her quirk. 'That's it?' A strange discomfort twisted in her chest. 'We just carry on like _normal?_ How can we after…'

Uraraka felt as though her mind and heart were about to tear and split and there was only so much she could do to keep herself from cracking under Bakugou's heavy words. She loved and hated how he could read her so easily, catering to her doubts and insecurities without expelling too much effort on his side. It felt so...natural. But this time, instead of that perk putting her at ease, it somehow agitated her. 'I thought I could do it.' She combed her fingers through her hair. 'I thought I could handle the repercussions of what we did, yet why…' She cradled her heated face in her palms and shook her head. 'Why do I feel like crying after hearing that from him?'

The rest of the morning went on without incident, which only disappointed her more since Bakugou made no mention of the forbidden topic ever again even when she hinted at wanting him to elaborate during class interludes. He'd shrug, mumble something along the lines of not remembering what she was referring to, then avoid her by going to the bathroom or talking to Kirishima and Sero or sometimes even Kaminari.

...

Uraraka tapped her foot impatiently against Iida's chair leg, the burnt out eraser tip of her wooden pencil beating in synchrony against her chin. 'Why did he bring it up?' she asked herself, 'I thought he said that what we did was a literal one-time thing and that we'd never speak of it again. I'm guessing to avoid awkwardness or suspicion, but still…'

"Ahem...Uraraka."

'What was he trying to get at with that?! Could he maybe-'

"Uraraka."

"Huh?" Uraraka snapped her head up at Iida who was looking rather irate with her. "Yes?"

"Could you kindly stop hitting my chair?" he asked with as soft a voice as he could muster, "It would help me _immensely_ if I could write down my notes for this very important lesson without having my penmanship skewed to senseless chicken scratch."

"...Oh!" Uraraka immediately swung both of her legs back under her own desk. "Sorry about that! I didn't realize I was hitting you."

"It's fine," Iida sighed to calm himself and turned his attention back on the board.

However, Uraraka's thoughts were everywhere but on the lesson in front of them. They flew from one erotic daydream to the next and the more she forbade herself from indulging them, the worse they assaulted her imagination. At one point, she envisioned being pushed down on her own desk and, to worsen her guilt, not by the kind, gentle, and considerate Midoriya she was supposed to be waiting for. No— her partner was, again, _Bakugou_ , roughly keeping her hands hostage over her head as he wedged himself between her legs. She imagined the feel of his hot lips pressing against hers, his tongue sweeping and stroking her own and tainting her spirit with a lustful blackness.

"Uraraka."

He'd undo her tie and unbutton her shirt with a single sweep of his hand then proceed to unclasp her bra.

"Uraraka…"

He'd free her breasts from their confines and warm one of them in his mouth, sucking and licking at its erect nipple. One of his hands would then massage the other hefty flesh while the other hand slipped under her skirt, hurriedly pulling down on her black leggings and underwear. They'd be left abandoned on the floor along with his pants, then his boxers, and then he'd impatiently unbutton his own shirt.

"Uraraka!"

He'd ravage her loosely clothed but sweaty body, filling her with his tongue and fingers and though she'd never seen one of _those_ outside of Anatomy or Art class, she imagined one for him as he pressed it against her in a hasty and heated grind.

Another scene played like an old film on the opposite side of that where Midoriya gently took her hand into his and asked her to wait for his answer, but she couldn't hear the words that passed his lips anymore. She was too occupied with holding onto Bakugou for dear life, angst and pleasure escaping her in fits of moans and sighs as he joined himself with her. Her hand left and tried to reach back to Midoriya as he stretched his hand out back to her, but Bakugou dove even deeper, tearing them completely apart. With an anguished breath, she surrendered her whole self to the more dominant male. Her arms that once sought Midoriya ultimately retreated and wrapped tightly around Bakugou's thick neck and shoulders. Her face was buried in his chest, tears of guilt and still insatiable want staining his lightly tanned skin as he continued to fill her with his desire.

"Earth to Uraraka Ochako!"

Uraraka was jarred back to her startling reality— the whole classroom looking at her flushed and listless face. "Yes!" she yelped and stood up from her seat.

"I know I'm just a substitute for Mic today since he caught himself a sore throat," Aizawa grumbled behind the textbook he held in his hand, "But that doesn't mean you can get away with not paying attention in class. Read line twenty-eight on page three sixty-seven please."

"Y-yes, sir." Uraraka bowed apologetically and scrambled to quickly find her passage. "Um… 'So I spake, and quickly they [the men] hearkened to my words…'"

...

Unbeknownst to Uraraka, Bakugou wasn't mentally present either. His eyes had been strictly on her since the second time Aizawa called her name and she continued to simply stare at the air, unmoving and silent. He took note of how amusingly bright her cheeks glowed when she finally came to and how her chest gave a noticeable one-two bounce when she jumped on her feet.

...He hated it.

He hated her glossy pink lips that recited the gibberish in their textbook, carefully shaping her words with the help of her pearly teeth and pink tongue. He hated how her small fingers timidly tucked strands of honey-brown hair from her face to behind her left ear, revealing a pair of rich brown eyes and thick black lashes that fell over them, caressing her stupidly pink cheeks as she blinked. Her tufts for eyebrows were pinched in either confusion or thought. He hated that, too. Everything about her disgusted him. She was just so...so...

Bakugou heaved a sigh.

She looked too fucking perfect, radiating an annoying warm glow that struck him so brightly that he had to look away.

.

.

.

.

"Now, the science behind being able to annihilate one or multiple opponents with one punch lies in his muscle strength," said Midnight as she proceeded to jot down on the board a crude drawing of some bald man wearing a shabby hero suit and cape. "In order to determine the capacity of this strength, we have to consider what kind of training he underwent…"

The R-rated hero's lecture was drowned by the whispers in Uraraka's mind demanding why Bakugou was now glaring at her— from straight across the room. Did this boy lack _all_ sense of discretion? It had been a long half a day already and she absolutely would not stand for the fishbowl treatment any longer. Plus, she was still coming out of one of her Bakugou fantasies so there was of course that. Peevishness creeping into her skin, she stood her notebook upright in front of her, blocking the boy from her peripherals.

"Is there a problem, Ms. Uraraka?" asked Midnight, "You seem very into wall-building today. Book down, please."

Just about every student turned their heads to Uraraka who jolted upright in response. "S-sorry!" she stammered, "There's no problem! Who says there's a problem? Ha-ha! I'm fine! See?" She slammed her notebook back down, pointed at herself, and grinned the widest she could.

In order to hide his own smaller grin, Bakugou had to face the window again, condemned to watch the high-noon clouds graze the blue sky as the rest of the class chuckled in amusement.

"Mmhm…" Midnight was about to resume her lecture when the bell rang. "Oh, well," she sighed, "We'll continue this lesson next week so make sure to read chapters eighteen through twenty-two over the weekend."

"Yes, ma'am…" the class recited.

Midnight's expression instantly darkened as she turned sharply to them and stomped her heel. "What was that?"

"Ye-yes, Miss!" the class frantically corrected themselves and let out their relieved breaths when she smiled sweetly back at them then left the classroom.

The students rose from their seats, delving into separate conversations as they, too, walked out the door. Iida also left his seat but turned around to ask, "Will you be joining us for lunch today, Uraraka?"

"Um…" Uraraka glanced to her side. "It's okay, Iida, I ate a big breakfast this morning so…"

"That makes three days in a row now," Iida nodded while slicing his hand through the air, "It's good that you're eating your breakfasts so heartily but you mustn't eat so much that you don't leave room for lunch! Otherwise, your diet will become unbalanced!"

Uraraka sank further into her seat. "I'll keep that in mind from now on. Thank you." She held her smile until he left, only revealing a regretful frown when her back leaned fully against her chair. She looked up at the ceiling, closing her eyes to the pain in her stomach and swallowing the burning sensation in her throat. A couple more footsteps rushed out the door, then a few, and finally a couple scuffled and stopped beside her. She waited for this person to leave but when about two more minutes passed and she could still feel him next to her, she snapped her eyes wide open and met his in a direct gaze...or glare.

"Skipping lunch again, round-face?" Bakugou scowled down at her, "No matter how much you diet, those cheeks aren't gonna get any skinnier."

Uraraka reached up to give him a light smack on the forehead but he easily tilted back to avoid her hand. Her heart jumped at touching the tips of his bangs ever so lightly. "I'm not skipping anything!" she defended herself, "I'm just not hungry enough for lunch. It happens." The statement and an all too audible growl of her stomach left her then, coloring her face bright red. Mortified, she bent over and began furiously punching herself in the gut, crying, "You traitor! Why'd you have to that now?!" Her stomach moaned louder on her fourth punch and with a reluctant sigh, she slumped back in her seat in defeat.

Bakugou shifted his fingers in his pant pocket. "Not hungry, huh?"

"Just go," Uraraka mumbled, "I'm already feeling bad enough as it is. It sucks that the system only allows free breakfasts but not lunch. They should really fix that…"

The door slid open and Kirishima poked his head between the gap, swinging his gaze from side to side and stopping at Bakugou and Uraraka in the back of the room. "Oy!" he called and waved to them, "You guys coming or what? Lunch Rush is filling up already!"

"I-I'm good," Uraraka had to convince another person and herself for the third time, "You guys go on ahead." She felt a sharp pain pass through her stomach. "I insist!"

Bakugou glanced down at her then up at Kirishima. "Kirishima!"

"Hm?" Kirishima raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"Go on and eat without me," Bakugou grumbled as he stuffed his other hand into his pocket, "I don't have much of an appetite today."

Uraraka and Kirishima's eyes widened as though Bakugou had suddenly declared the power of friendship in front of them. He glared at the two, causing Uraraka to recoil and Kirishima to beam back, "If you say so!" The redhead stepped out and closed the door behind him. "He says he's not coming!" his voice could be heard announcing to another party, "Let's get going!"

The footsteps faded and Uraraka was left alone with Bakugou again. She gingerly looked up at him and asked, "Why didn't you go? Unlike me, you have no reason to starve yourself."

"Tch, I wonder," he clicked his tongue and gave her a nudge on the shoulder with his elbow, "Let's go."

"But I-" Uraraka attempted to refuse.

"I'm not asking, round-face!" Bakugou asserted himself, putting an end to her rambling. He smirked with satisfaction at hearing her chair slide back and her rapid footsteps follow him. Without uttering a word the whole way, he led her to the courtyard vending machines. With Lunch Rush serving top-quality student meals, it didn't surprise him that there weren't any other U.A. students around the area. Empty and quiet— just the way he preferred his school breaks to be.

 _Clink!_ He bent down to retrieve the carton of milk yogurt drink and plastic-wrapped melon bread from the slot and tossed them to Uraraka. "Here."

Uraraka successfully caught them in her arms and sent back a sorrowful stare. "Bakugou, you really don't have to…" she muttered.

"Just shut up and eat," he shot back and opened his can of milk coffee, "You always gripe about it but you end up scarfing down all the food anyway. It's fine to accept these kinds of things once in a while, you know."

"Once in a while," Uraraka mumbled between bites of her pastry, "But you've been feeding me for the past three days...and some days before that…" She took another bite. "I just paid you back for last time, too."

"What's the deal anyway?" Bakugou growled, "You're working part-time now, right? Not to mention you're also a rising name in our industry. How the hell do you never have money for even just food?"

"Our checks are backed up again this week." Uraraka leaned a foot against the vending machine and took another glum bite of her melon bread. "And since I was _so_ confident I was going to get paid this week, I just sent my leftover money to my parents a few days ago. I'm in limbo right now!"

Bakugou scowled and gulped down half his can of coffee. It was more bitter than sweet but he liked it that way. "You need to find another job."

"Eh, it's fine!" Uraraka was back to her old self again, smiling like a newly bloomed sunflower as she slam-dunked her plastic wrap into a nearby trash bin. "It's not like I'll be doing this forever! Just you all wait. I'll become a pro and make lots and lots of money! No more struggling and…" She caught herself and looked at Bakugou. "How much do I owe you for this?"

"680 yen."

"I'll pay you back every yen plus interest!"

Bakugou snatched her milk yogurt carton, shoved its straw into the foil opening, and jammed the drink back into her hand. "Quit making empty promises and just finish your damn snack!" he scolded, "If you keep yammering on like that, you'll end up burning away the bread you just ate!"

Uraraka shrugged her shoulders and sucked tentatively on the bright red straw. "It's not an empty promise though…"

A cool breeze blew by, shaking the delicate cherry petals from their branches and cascading the pair in a gentle rosette shower with specks of ivory. After breathing in the floral scent of the short-lived beauty, Bakugou raised the coffee can to his lips only to press them along its cool rim. He knew and had a feeling Uraraka did, too, that there were still certain things they had to, _wanted_ to talk about. More relevant things. He quickly downed another shot of caffeine. "Ah..." he exhaled and turned to Uraraka. "Listen-"

"Bakugou, last night-" Uraraka started at the same time.

They both immediately stopped, staring at each other like a pair of deer caught in headlights…which they wore on their heads.

Deciding he'd be the better lead, Bakugou continued, "I've been thinking-"

"Yep?!" Uraraka squeaked, blushing madly and wanting to slap herself for sounding too eager for him to keep speaking.

"I know I said that we should never mention again what we did and should just go about our lives like normal," Bakugou coughed into his hand. "But I…we only scratched the surface...of that topic...to be technical."

Uraraka rubbed a thumb on her milk carton. "O-oh? Is that so?" She tucked in her lower lip and flicked it back out with her tongue. "Are...a-are you…" 'No! Bad format, Ochako!' She cleared her throat and tried again, "I mean, so...wh-what are you...suggesting?"

'I'm not suggesting anything! Get over yourself!' Bakugou nearly blurted to shield his shaky ego but kept his cool and calmly replied, "Not to say _I'm_ suggesting since it'll be your call in the end…" His eyes darted to the side.

"Ye-yeah! Of course!" Uraraka flailed, accidentally chucking her beverage out of her hand and into a nearby shrub, spilling all its contents into the dirt.

"So how about it?" Bakugou asked, his focus now tranquil and fully on her.

Uraraka raised her eyes to his and bit her lip. "How about what?" she asked, her voice hushed by the thundering rhythm of her heart.

Despite his believed-to-be superior judgment and the universe screaming at him to hold on to the torch he'd been carrying, Bakugou went ahead and threw it in the bales anyway.

He pulled her forward by her tie, his face hovering in front of hers as he then clarified, "Supplementary classes. You and me."


	4. Chapter 4

Uraraka couldn't remember ever blushing as intensely as she did now, swearing up and down that her head would explode and disintegrate if Bakugou got any closer. He must have read her mind and decided to spare her life because he let her tie go and backed up a few steps. She looked dumbfoundedly up at him and muttered, "I, uh, that is…"

"Think about it," said Bakugou, "I know there's a lot to consider and we'll be doing this on a whim. I just want to make sure you're ready for it."

" _On a whim."_

Uraraka repeated those three words in her head, her chest aching each time it came back around. She thought of the sweet but short emails Midoriya sent her and how excited she was when he confirmed he'd be returning to her soon. He'd return and finally give her his answer. She could finally love him how she always wanted to and hopefully, he would do the same. And then they'd be happy. They'd go on dates, share warm hugs and kisses, introduce one another to their families, and so much more. Loving _Midoriya_ was right— an ideal and correct type of love.

What she and Bakugou had dipped their feet into...was wrong. _Terribly_ wrong. They'd ventured to a place that many before them had gone to and rarely ever returned from unscathed. Granted, she and Bakugou still stood at the maw, faint strings of hope and good conscience keeping them from jumping in with every fiber of their being. However, what she saw in this chasm was not darkness but a kindled flame. And like a moth that thought her wings strong and indestructible, a prevailing part of her wanted to see what was beyond the bright light that seduced her so. "I-"

A couple of other students approached from around the corner, putting an end to their discussion.

"And I'm out," Bakugou growled as he chugged down the remainder of his drink, shot it into the recycling bin, and stalked off.

Not bothering to think twice about it, Uraraka jumped, stopping him with an abrupt pull on his shirt sleeve. 'Hot,' she realized about his normal body temperature. He turned to her and she felt her heart clunk to a stop. "Um...about what you were saying earlier…" she stammered.

Bakugou seemed to know where she was going and said, "Whenever you're ready, you know where to find me." He smirked at her vibrant bewilderment, secretly appreciating how Uraraka always wore her heart on her sleeve. "Better fix that face or else the others will think something's up." And with that, he continued to take his leave.

.

.

.

.

 _4:00 P.M._

The end of day dismissal bell rang, finally granting the students their leave. 'About time!' was all Uraraka could think to herself as she shoved her things into her backpack. It took hours of debating with her brain but she finally and valiantly decided— she had to put an end to her unhealthy daydreaming.

Asui walked up to the brunette's desk and asked, "Are you in a hurry to go somewhere today, Ochako?"

"Uh, yeah, you could say that," Uraraka replied and stuffed her pencil case in next. She looked to where Bakugou's desk was and found it already clean and empty. 'When did he leave?! The bell rang not that long ago!'

"Ah, Ochako!" Mina called from across the room, "Don't forget, we're in charge of making flyer copies for our club today!"

"I know, I'll meet you at the copy room!" Uraraka gave a thumbs up.

"M'kaaaay!" Mina hummed and went back to talking with Jiro.

"Catch you later-ribbit," said Asui as she walked back to her own desk to finish packing up her things, "You should try and get some rest tonight, too. You've been spacing out a lot lately."

Uraraka threw in her notebook and hair tie then zipped up her backpack and slung it over her shoulders. "Right. See you at Heights Alliance then, everyone!" She waved goodbye to her friends and dashed out the door.

"Is Uraraka alright?" Iida asked Asui.

"I think so," Asui nodded to him, "She just seems to have a lot of things on her mind right now-ribbit."

"Anyone up for okonomiyaki later?" Sato announced, "My treat for movie night! Let everyone else who already left know so they can get some, too."

"Yeah!" the remainder of Class A cheered.

Their cheers echoed faintly behind Uraraka as she ran down the hall, desperate to catch Bakugou at least by the shoe lockers if she kept up her speed. She dashed around a corner, practically jumped down one flight of stairs, turned another corner and…

"Hold it!" Kirishima suddenly spoke from behind and the next thing Uraraka knew, she was abruptly yanked back by her backpack and into a pair of muscular arms.

"Kirishima!" she gasped while turning to him, "What's going on? Is something the matter?"

Kirishima pulled Uraraka further behind the wall that separated them from the hallway ahead and raised a finger to his lips. When she tilted her head at him, he pointed and grinned at a certain direction behind the wall and whispered, "Bakugou's right there."

"Oh, perfect!" Uraraka beamed, "I was just looking for him. There's something I really need to talk to him about." She pulled herself from Kirishima's hold and ran to the very direction he was just pointing to.

"No, wait!" Kirishima tried to stop her.

"Hey there, Bakug-" Uraraka began to call out to him only to fall still and silent upon seeing him with...a girl— dainty and petite frame, long straight locks of amber complimented by flawless fair skin. Uraraka recognized her as one of the girls that was sitting with the group at the cafeteria from earlier that morning. An underclassman. She seemed to be telling Bakugou something that his patience was thinning to, judging from the growing scowl on his face, then suddenly bowed and extended a sealed envelope to him.

'Oh.' Uraraka clamped her mouth shut. 'So that's what's going on.'

She glumly looked on as Bakugou took the envelope into his hand and continued to stand in silence, perhaps listening to something else the girl was saying.

Uraraka nervously bit the inside of her cheek and backpedalled to where she just came from, fingers curled into small fists at her sides. She didn't look back as she ran to Kirishima, red-faced and panting upon arriving in front of him.

" _Now_ do you see why I was trying to stop you?" Kirishima chuckled, "I mean, it's no big deal, really. I just wanted to spare you from the same awkwardness I encountered."

"Yeah…" Uraraka caught her breath.

" _Tch, it's not like I came on to the girls I've dated."_

She remembered his words from that night, unable to help but laugh to herself at just how true his statement was. To think that the unapproachable and callous Bakugou Katsuki had such dating eligibility! Well, who could blame those girls? If they didn't move first, he surely wouldn't because he clearly had more interest in chasing his dreams of becoming the number one hero than women. She laughed again.

"What's so funny?" Kirishima asked.

Uraraka peeked over the wall. "It feels strange watching our friends grow up like this. Soon, we'll all go our separate ways, won't we?"

Kirishima scratched his head. "I guess...but I mean…" He looked at Uraraka, frowning with worry at seeing her usually sparkling doe eyes fall to a sullen stare. He hesitantly rubbed his elbow and pursed his lips. "I'd sure like it if...we could keep in touch."

"R-really?" Uraraka gasped, "Oh, that's such a relief!"

"Uh…" Kirishima innocently scratched the tip of his pinking nose. "What do you mean?"

"That...I'm glad I can still talk to you," Uraraka explained, "I have a feeling Bakugou will be too busy to think about someone like me once he graduates, but I get it. He's a really busy guy with an ambition to pursue and too many potential girlfriends to cater to."

Kirishima was taken back by the unmistakable bitterness in Uraraka's tone as she said the last part. "O-okay...if you say so… But why concern yourself so much about what Bakugou thinks? Shouldn't what _you_ want matter more?"

Uraraka grimaced. 'Whoa, what was that? My chest felt all sorts of awful just now.' She gave herself a pat over her heart and dismissed the tightening discomfort with a shake of her head. "Anyway," she continued, blatantly dodging his question and venturing back out into the hallway with a smile. "Awkward or not, we've all gotta get through this hallway, right? Don't worry, I promise I won't ruin his little romantic moment!" Not to mention the copy room was in another hallway a corner away from where they were.

"Uraraka-" Kirishima tried to call her back but she was already skipping down the hall, smiles and all. 'What was with that weird expression she was making?'

Uraraka kept her gaze straight and her smile still but the closer she got to Bakugou and the mystery girl, the more tempting it became to just drop everything and run. Her eyes stayed on the tiled path ahead, fighting the urge to glance at the two silhouettes that stood by the wall until finally, she was right next to them, trapped in a small, midway bubble almost like a Venn diagram, an air of uneasiness wafting about the three of them in that brief moment she stepped in. It was as though time had frozen still and an eerie silence placated the narrow vicinity. Uraraka swallowed the lump in her throat. The two were definitely speaking to each other just a moment ago. Why was it so deathly quiet now? Or was it all in her imagination?

" _Look up."_

'No!' she mentally fought back, keeping her eyes glued to the floor. 'I won't!'

Uraraka could vaguely see Bakugou's lower half from her peripherals. His foot was angled slightly towards her, one hand in his pocket as usual. The other one was probably still holding on to the envelope the girl had given him. 'Should I greet them? Or just him at least? No, what if I accidentally interrupt them or the girl gets the wrong idea and ends up getting mad? Then again, it would be rude not to acknowledge someone when your paths meet. Geez, what do I do?! This shouldn't be so hard! Why am I so self-conscious?!' She walked faster, praying to escape the suffocating atmosphere as quickly as possible. Just another few feet, and she'd be home free. She just had to endure the discomfort a little longer…

"Not interested," she heard Bakugou say and nearly tripped over herself in shock over how stoic and blunt he sounded. "You'll have to find someone else to give this to."

"Wa-wait!" the girl choked, "You don't have to answer now! Just...think about it first a-and-"

Uraraka held tightly on to her backpack straps and bolted right past the awkward rejection scene, not at all daring to look back. 'Oh my god, oh my god!' Her legs picked up speed. 'I'm so stupid! Oh my god!' Who knew what they thought of her now? She certainly didn't. All she could hope for was to lock herself in the copy room and pray that Bakugou wouldn't follow after her.

...

After the nameless girl left, understandably in tears, Bakugou dragged himself back to where Kirishima was and found the redhead squatting flat on his soles, brows pinched at the stairwell he was facing. "What the hell are you doing?" Bakugou grouched.

"Oh!" Kirishima hopped to his feet and flashed a smile. "You're done?"

"More or less," said Bakugou. "I tried letting her go easy. Oh, and I just saw Uraraka run by. Any idea what that was about?"

"She ran?" Kirishima tucked his hands behind his head and laughed, "That weirdo. After saying she was looking for you, too."

Bakugou raised his eyebrow at the goofy smile Kirishima wore. It came with an uneasy feeling, one that he really didn't want to touch on and would prefer to be kept blind to. "Whatever," he grumbled and pivoted around to leave.

Kirishima turned to Bakugou. "You're not going after her?"

"Who?"

"Who else? Uraraka!"

"...Nah," Bakugou falsely scoffed, "I have things to do. She'll come find me again if it's urgent."

Though Kirishima thought it strange how much of a hurry Bakugou was in to leave, he simply shrugged it off as routine diligence. Bakugou usually had a one-track mind when it came to these things anyway. "...Umm, do you think...she still likes Midoriya?"

Bakugou felt his feet turn cold at the sudden inquiry, his pupils shrinking thin as the whites of his eyes sank into their sockets. 'No...no, no, no…' he dreaded. Kirishima's voice held a tinge of hope, too, as if indirectly but surely asking him for some sort of permission.

"J-just...I was wondering, that's all," Kirishima laughed nervously after receiving only silence for a response.

Bakugou glared at Kirishima. "You'd better get that shitty thought out of your head right now, Kirishima. You're only asking for trouble if you don't."

"But…" Kirishima shuddered under the blonde's foreboding grimace. "There's a chance she might-"

"You won't get anywhere by telling yourself what you want to hear," Bakugou snapped, effectively silencing Kirishima. He nearly flinched at the harshness of his own voice but knew it had to be done. The last thing he needed was to have Kirishima sit in his conscience once his and Uraraka's crossroads met. "Trust me, it's better if you just drop that kind of pointless thinking."

Kirishima looked forlornly up at the blonde. "It's not that it's pointless. This is Uraraka we're talking ab-"

"And she's obviously fucking off limits," Bakugou reprimanded, more himself than Kirishima. "Get it through your thick head! _Yes_ , she still fucking likes Deku, damn it! Stop mulling over something that won't ever happen!" Realizing the error in his outburst, he stomped away, hands fisted tight in his pockets.

"Bakugou!" Kirishima called after the irate teen, "Hey, wait up!" Unfortunately, his best friend was already out the school doors and gone. He let out a sigh. "Sheesh, what got into him? I was just asking a question."

.

.

.

.

He said he had plans, but Bakugou instead found himself inside the local convenience store staring blankly at the magazine racks, looking for nothing in particular. In fact, he'd been circling the store for the past thirty minutes or so now. Or maybe it was an hour. Two? He already lost count.

"Let me know if you need any help!" the friendly and bald teenage cashier waved to him from afar.

Bakugou didn't reciprocate any kind of acknowledgement. In fact, he wasn't even listening to anything that was going on around him. His mind was on a certain gravity manipulator again, wondering what her answer to his proposal would be. Based on how she was acting, he concluded she was about to accept his offer. Then again, he had to remind himself that this was _Uraraka Ochako_ he was dealing with and she had a reputation for outdoing others' expectations in the quirkiest of ways. In this regard, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing. 'Hold on a sec,' his brain halted, 'What the fuck are you gonna do if she straight up just says, 'no'? Did you ever think of that?'

Bakugou felt his face turn numb.

'That's right, Katsuki, she could flat out just say 'NO' and then what? You think you two can still carry on like you were with her knowing you _really_ want to fuck her? You think that's a normal relationship? Huh?!'

He picked up a magazine and flipped through it in an attempt to distract himself from his rage but threw it back down on the rack when he realized it was titled, _"Sex & Dating Without the Commitment."_ He immediately felt the cashier's scrutinizing eyes on him.

"Is everything alright, sir?" the bald teen asked skeptically.

"I'm just browsing," Bakugou flung his alibi and moved to another aisle to escape further questioning. This time, he'd wandered into the Health & Parenthood section and ended up coming face to face with colorful male and female contraceptives lining the locked shelves. 'The universe is trying to fuckin' tell me something…' To his ire, he thought of Uraraka _again_ and instantly felt his face heat up. "Damn it!" He brisk-walked to the back of the store where the fridges were, picking up a cold bottle of vegetable smoothie to press against his cheek.

Yes, he'd admit— perhaps he was a little too cocky with what he just did. After all, Uraraka had zero experience when it came to these things so it shouldn't have surprised or intrigued him that she was acting more peculiar than usual. What he didn't understand was how _he_ had been so emotionally and worst of all, _mentally_ unstable around her lately, as confident as he was in his...maturity. "No fucking way…" he whispered to himself, "I'm better than this."

There were plenty of sexier and much more _available_ girls at U.A. he could easily pull from the crowd and convince to spend a few hours in his room with him. But the thought of involving Uraraka in _that_ side of his life forced him to question the very foundation of his morals.

He'd already, so carefully, dipped parts of her in the dark and murky waters he waded in and as much as he wanted to pull everything of her under with him, his arms refused to let her fall to such a fate. After all, he clung to her purity to keep himself afloat, his heart unknowingly nurturing a dread that if he dipped her in again, she'd drown and vanish from his world forever. And that purity, as much as he detested admitting it, stemmed from her feelings for Midoriya. They'd been able to start all this because... _Midoriya_ resided in her heart.

'Just admit it, Katsuki!' his inner voice sneered, 'You put your pride on the line for this little 'game' you and Uraraka started and now you're pissed at yourself for it!'

Bakugou threw the smoothie bottle back on the shelf. "Goddammit, I swear-" he growled.

The entrance bell rang and in came a breathless and sweaty Kirishima. His eyes quickly honed in on Bakugou from across the area. "There you are!"

Bakugou felt part of his anger leave him and straightened himself. "Yeah, so?"

"You left me, dude…" Kirishima pouted, "Are you sick or something? You got so cranky all of a sudden."

"Who the hell said I was cranky?!" Bakugou barked at the redhead.

Kirishima flinched. "Guess you're still cranky..."

"Whatever. What do you want?"

"Nothing," said Kirishima, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay, that's all."

"Hmph."

"By the way, you joining us for movie night later? Mina just texted me saying majority voted for zombie apocalypse this time so it's gonna be hella fun! Come on!"

"Don't lump me with you nerds," Bakugou retorted with an annoyed scowl, "I didn't vote for jack shit."

"That's because you never come to movie night," Kirishima shrugged, "It's our last year, dude, and we only hold it like, once a week. Twice if we're lucky. Just come. Please?"

"Tsk." Bakugou seemed to consider this as he reluctantly muttered, "...Who else is going tonight?"

"Whoa-ho!" Kirishima's eyes and teeth gleamed. "You're actually interested!"

"On second thought, you fuckers can just go fuck yourselves," Bakugou grumbled and stomped towards the door for a hasty exit but was promptly yanked back by the cackling redhead.

"Sorry, sorry!" Kirishima clapped him on the shoulder. "As far as I know, everyone in our class will be there. There's gonna be pizza, drinks, snacks… But why so interested in roll call all of a sudden? _Anyone, in particular,_ you want there?"

Uraraka immediately came to mind. "No," Bakugou grumbled, distancing himself from Kirishima as he took a can of milk coffee from the fridge. 'Hmph, this is the same drink I get whenever I buy her-' He swiftly threw it back in the fridge and took a bottle of cold ginseng tea instead.

Kirishima and his head questioningly at the blonde. "Again...are you okay?"

"Let's just get out of this dump!" Bakugou marched to the front to pay for his drink. "I'm gonna lose it if I stay here any longer."

"Actually, we should get some snacks while we're here," Kirishima happily suggested instead, pulling Bakugou from the counter.

"What the f-"

"Come on, Bakugou, it'll only be for a few more minutes." Kirishima ventured to another aisle with Bakugou's arm in tow. "We'll save the others a trip _and_ we get first pick. Win-win!"

Bakugou skidded in his steps, shuddering as the rest of his anger returned with a vehement, "Fuck!"

.

.

.

.

 _7:13 P.M._

"We're back!" Kirishima announced as he opened the common room doors, "Sorry, Bakugou and I got hungry on the way back so we stopped by Wacdonald's for some food. Did we miss anything?" He dropped his plastic bag of chips on the counter and hopped to the bar area where Sero and Kaminari sat, effortlessly joining their conversation in medias res.

On the other hand, Bakugou struggled silently with his batch, having taken the bigger and much heavier bags that held the drinks, sauces, and ice cream. "Fucking Kirishima…" he hissed through gritted teeth while torpidly making his way to the counter. His arms were vein-riddled and dying but there was no way he'd show any kind of weakness around his peers.

"Here, let me help you with that."

Suddenly, the bags were weightless, leading Bakugou to believe that someone had just taken all the things out and made off with them. When he looked up, he was instantly corrected. "I've got this, round-face. Back off."

Uraraka turned frigid as his eyes pierced hers. She never noticed how strikingly red they were until now, like unearthed rubies that held the light of an ancient era. Pouting, she clutched the bags tighter. "Quit acting all macho and just let me help you," she said, "My quirk was made for situations like this."

Bakugou let her take the bags with a huff. Boldly, he decided against joining Kirishima and the guys and instead followed Uraraka into the kitchen area where she got to work. It was as though she had her own gravitational pull, an iota of glee swelling in him in the hopes that sticking around her tonight might reward him some form of entertainment. "Need help reaching the higher shelves?" he provoked, leaning on the cupboard she was putting the first set of snacks away in.

"Ha...ha…" Uraraka stuck her tongue out at him. "For your information, I can make myself float to reach them, thank you very much." Either her eyes were deceiving her or Bakugou just smiled...again...at her. She frowned and went back to what she was doing, forcing herself to think nothing of what she thought she saw.

Bakugou seemed to also realize what he was doing and quickly wiped the taboo expression from his face. "Hey," he said, "Let's ditch this snooze-fest. I can think of a couple other things we can do that'll be _way_ more fun than this."

Uraraka nearly dropped the ice cream gallon she was carrying. "Wh-what are you implying?!" she sputtered.

Bakugou smirked at the instantaneous effect his provocation had on Uraraka. She was just way too easy to aggravate. "Nothing. I just have a feeling you won't enjoy this flick much."

Uraraka glared weakly at him. "Dummy..." she mumbled and went back to putting the ice cream away despite the now-obvious blush on her cheeks. "Stop making fun of me."

'She didn't say no.' Bakugou hid a grin and watched her graphic pink tee stretch and wrinkle as she bent from plastic bag to freezer to pantry, keeping a steady pace with her returns. She was wearing too-short of shorts again per usual, a sunny yellow one this time, and to his chagrin, he found he could not look away from the smooth, peach-toned legs that housed her apple bottom. Her chest was doing more than just one-two bounces now too, which led him to deduce that she was either wearing a really thin and soft bra or… His groin ached. 'Nothing at all.'

"And here I thought I was the only perv in the class," Mineta suddenly mumbled from behind Bakugou, his camera phone held upright against his chest. Like with most guys that entered high school, he'd gotten a growth spurt in the middle of their second year and fell just a few centimeters under Tokoyami's height.

This worked in Bakugou's favor as Mineta's new height made it easier for him to bonk a hard fist on the blob boy's flushed and drooling face. "Beat it, shrimp!" Bakugou growled.

"I-it's alright, Bakugou," Mineta mumbled through Bakugou's smokey fist, "I totally understand where you're coming from. No need to be ashamed- Wah!" Bakugou was angrily shaking him by the collar at this point.

"If you two have nothing better to do in here, I suggest you move to a different area to fool around," Yaoyorozu scolded the boys as she stepped into the kitchen area to help Uraraka put things away. "It's already cramped enough as it is. Shoo! Shoo!"

Figuring it would be easier to roll with the punches than stir a commotion, Bakugou took his exit with Mineta, making sure to give the shorter boy a gratifying kick on the back as revenge. Before he stepped wholly out of the doorway though, he looked over his shoulder. "Oy, Uraraka."

Uraraka flinched and looked back at him, still retaining some redness in her usually fair complexion. "What…?" she asked warily.

"Don't get too excited," Bakugou smirked again, "I was just fucking with you."

That did it.

He walked away, confident that the _thud_ he heard was Uraraka launching herself to the ceiling.

"Ur-Uraraka! What happened?!" Yaoyorozu's concerned cries followed.

.

.

'Either Bakugou's psychic or I'm just becoming jaded,' Uraraka found herself thinking as _"24 Hours"_ continued to play on the widescreen TV. Looking around, she was surprised to see that her friends were all so immersed in the horror flick, groups of twos and threes taking turns reaching in each other's popcorn bucket and munching the kernels down vacant expressions that matched the zombies in the movie. Meanwhile, she just couldn't get her eyes to focus on what was going on in any scene and was instead fidgeting in her seat and stifling her yawns as the minutes ticked by. 'Why am I not enjoying this?' Shrugging, she looked down at her empty plate where an okonomiyaki used to sit. "Hey, Sato," she whispered as he sat just one person away from her on the couch, "Anymore left?"

He didn't bother taking his eyes off the screen as he flatly muttered, "Yeah. Stove."

"Thanks!"

"Sssshhh!" the others chided.

Uraraka paid them no heed and popped out from her spot between Yaoyorozu and Jiro to get herself more of the tasty morsel. As she left the center area she couldn't help but sense someone also leaving and stalking after her. She blushed, already ticklish at the idea of who it was. 'He's pretty persistent, isn't he?' When she arrived at the kitchen area, she took a deep breath and placed her paper plate on the sink counter. "Listen," she sighed, "Let's be honest with each other. I know we can't just…'move on' from what we did. A-and I know what you're trying to suggest with supplementary classes and even though I really, _really_ do actually want to know what else you can show me, we really shouldn't be-"

It was a good thing she turned around before blabbering on any further because her face turned ghostly white when she saw that the figure behind her was- "T-To-To-Tokoyami?!"

Tokoyami blinked cluelessly back, lifting two empty paper plates in his hands. "I, um," he choked, "I just...wanted to get some more food for myself and Ojiro. I'm sorry, did I impose on something I wasn't supposed to hear?"

Uraraka furiously shook her head. "N-not at all! I-I was, err, just re-rehearsing some lines from, uh, a drama I saw! Ye-yeah! I have this _weird_ habit of rehearsing uh...err...they're b-breakup lines. Yep. Eh-heh…"

Tokoyami gave an uncertain nod and walked slowly over to the stove where the leftover okonomiyaki was. "I'm not judging," he said, "But you should really be cautious of where you do those, err, rehearsals. People might misunderstand you."

"R-right…" Uraraka passed off her uneasiness with an airy laugh.

"You wanted some also, right?" Tokoyami offered, now smiling at her with a spatula at hand.

"Um…" Uraraka tossed her plate into the trash bin. "I'm actually pretty full already. I just came here to throw my trash away."

Tokoyami gave a nonchalant shrug. "Alright then."

Uraraka trudged back to the entertainment center, hoping that sitting between her friends again to watch the rest of the movie would help alleviate her tremendous embarrassment but when she got there, her spot had disappeared. Somewhat. "Wha…?" she gaped at Toru's floating pajamas.

"Sorry, Uraraka!" the invisible girl squeaked, "I got cold! I hope you don't mind."

"...Not at all…" Uraraka strained a smile and scanned the room for another available spot.

"Pssst, Uraraka! Over here!"

Uraraka whipped her gaze to Kirishima who was snug in a blanket and seated on the floor next to one of the couch legs. Like a set package, Bakugou was with him, leaning lazily on said couch leg and glaring at the bright TV screen. She found it strange that Kirishima was calling out to her since there was obviously no elbow room where they sat until he suddenly slid a bit away from Bakugou and pointed at the now vacant spot between the two of them. She tried to refuse with a gentle shake of her hand but Kirishima persisted, pointing more urgently at the same spot he just cleared.

Blowing a stray hair strand from her face, Uraraka tiptoed over to him and Bakugou and simply...stood there, unsure of how to go about seating herself between two grown guys. What also annoyed her was how unrightfully bored Bakugou looked, not even bothering to give her an upward glance or greeting or whatever after what he made her do.

"Pssst, Uraraka!" Kirishima half-whispered, "You should sit down! You might be blocking someone's view. Come on."

"Okay," Uraraka replied, mechanically turning to face the screen and planting herself between Kirishima and Bakugou, snug and tight like a tooth filling. "Excuse the contact."

"Fatass," Bakugou grumbled.

"Bakugou!" Kirishima scolded while Uraraka's mouth fell open, aghast.

"It's fine, Kirishima!" Uraraka tried her best to still sound cordial, "Bakugou's just jealous that I'm super plush and loveable while he's stuck being Mr. Sourpuss."

Bakugou rolled his eyes.

As Kirishima shifted himself to give Uraraka a bit more room, he noticed a stray pink device next to her and picked it up. "Is this your cell, Uraraka?"

"Oh, yeah!" Uraraka took back her phone and tucked it into her right shorts pocket. "Thanks. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss a single jingle from Deku so I brought my phone down with me. He hasn't messaged me since this morning though."

"Aw, well hang in there. I'm sure he'll send you something soon." Kirishima offered half of his blanket to her. "You cold?" he asked, "The AC doesn't adjust itself until a little after eight so just let me know. I'm good with sharing."

"Hm, now that I think about it, it is getting pretty chilly in here…" Uraraka rubbed down the bumps on her arms. "Yes, please! Or else I'll end up hibernating through the weekend."

"No prob," Kirishima grinned and was about to wrap her up when suddenly, the whole thing was snatched from him. "What-"

" _I'm_ cold," Bakugou snapped, throwing the blanket on himself, "So I'm gonna use this for a while. Thanks."

"You can't just take my stuff like that!" Kirishima wailed.

"Tough luck," Bakugou shot him down, "You'll get it back when I feel up to it."

"Urggh…" Kirishima groaned in defeat, "I'm just gonna have to put up with the cold now, is that it?"

"Sounds like a 'you' problem."

Kirishima gave Uraraka a woeful sigh. "Sorry. I'm not good at dealing with him when he gets like this."

"Why are you sorry?" Uraraka comforted him, "Bakugou's the one that suddenly took what wasn't his like the mature adult he is. Right, Bakugou?"

"Keep it down, I'm watching the damn movie," Bakugou huffed and wrapped the material tighter around himself.

"Oh, I know!" Kirishima stood up. "I'll just go get another one! I'm pretty sure I have an extra in my closet somewhere. Be right back." And off he went, sidestepping through their other friends and dashing out the door.

To Uraraka's stupor, the blanket Bakugou took was suddenly on her lap, his leftover warmth permeating her legs. "What's this for?" she asked with a suspicious frown.

"I just wanted to teach Kirishima a little lesson," Bakugou shrugged, "That's all yours now."

"Lesson?"

"Nothing you need to know."

"Okay, but...aren't you cold, too?"

"I can handle a little chill, unlike you two. Just take it." As Bakugou warned himself of before, Uraraka did the unexpected and spread the blanket over the two of them, its corners tucking comfortably over their shoulders and shielding their backs and partial fronts from the cold air. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Sharing!" Uraraka beamed, "The exact opposite of what you were doing earlier. Kirishima went to get another blanket anyway so he should be fine. I hope."

Bakugou scowled at the growing warmth in his cheeks. "Oy, don't you think this is getting a little _too_ comfortable?" he whispered, knowing that the contrary was much truer.

"I don't think so," Uraraka reasoned, thankful that the room was dark enough to hide her blush. "Besides, we're friends so this is totally okay. I mean, what else _can_ we do if we're cold and only have one blanket, right?" She wished she'd just left it alone after 'okay' because an immediate tension burned under said blanket.

"Good point," Bakugou spoke in a low and somewhat sarcastic tone, "I really can't think of anything else better." He leaned lazily into her and returned his gaze to the TV.

They stayed that way a while, neither one blinking from the blood and gore that splattered across the screen as the protagonists fought back a horde with their guns and blunt weapons. About another ten or so minutes passed when the movie's atmosphere transitioned to a strange placidity, new palettes of warm gold and burgundy replacing the harsh and saturated red and black from the prior scene. It seemed like an upcoming romantic bit for the male and female leads— Chris and Jennifer, as this was a subbed American film— who both looked much more attractive than the rest of the cast anyway. The zombie storm had just died down and while the minor characters in the survivor group were resting in their respective tents for the night, the two mains sat in front of the campfire, alone.

...

" _So when do you think this will all be over?" asked Jen, her long dirty-blonde hair hanging loosely over her strangely clean face and shoulders._

 _Chris threw another piece of dry wood into the fire. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. There might never be an end. This could be it."_

 _They sat, silent, green eyes gazing tenderly at the fire, then each other._

" _Hey Jen," Chris spoke again, this time, revealing a modest smile. "Before we die, I want to try something…"_

 _..._

Bakugou's arm jerked, hitting Uraraka's shoulder but luckily, not too hard. To his unwanted relief, she didn't move away and instead seemed to scoot closer to him.

...

 _His words enticed tears from Jen's eyes as she smiled back with her perfectly straight, white teeth and said, "You know what you're asking for is crazy, right? Even after everything I told you I've done-"_

" _That stuff doesn't matter to me, damn it!"_

 _..._

Bakugou and Uraraka couldn't bear to look at each other, both donning frowns of discomfort as the confession scene continued to play itself out. Some others in the room moved to get a snack or drink, perhaps also feeling the awkwardness, and some blushed or giggled.

"Fucking weak," Bakugou cursed lowly, though loud enough for only Uraraka to hear.

She still could not look up at him. "I know, right?" she tried to laugh along, "This is so unrealistic. Who could possibly think about a romantic relationship in the middle of a messed up situation like-"

"Hey, no fair!" Kirishima piped up, suddenly present in his spot again and startling both Uraraka and Bakugou a tad. "You two are sharing _my_ blanket?"

"It couldn't be helped so get over it," Bakugou griped impatiently, "And shut your trap. This shit's still got a long way to go." His heart nearly sprang to his throat when Uraraka moved another few inches closer. She was practically in his lap now.

"There you go," she told Kirishima, "Made some extra room for you to return the favor!"

Kirishima gladly accepted her offer with a smile. "Thanks, Uraraka!" He then turned his attention to the movie, wrapping his new blanket around himself and scrunching his eyebrows to analyze what he had missed.

Bakugou shifted in his seat as something soft and round made contact with his side. His right hand sat just behind Uraraka now, her butt scooting dangerously close to his fingers that stood on their tips against the carpeted floor. He glanced down at her from the corner of his eye. Though her gaze was on the screen, there was an unmistakable deeper pinkness to her cheeks that he simply could not ignore. She also made no attempts to create some elbow room between himself and her. In fact, if he didn't know any better, she was slowly scooting further into his personal space and, frighteningly, he didn't mind it in the least. He decided to take a gamble and carefully, under the hidden safety of Kirishima's blanket, placed his right hand on her right lap. She flinched for a second but, just as he'd secretly hoped, remained in place and acted as though nothing happened.

...

 _Jen stood from the stump she sat on and grabbed Chris by the collar. "Chris-" she sobbed._

" _Jen, I-" Chris uttered back._

 _..._

"Darn it," Kirishima crunched on his popcorn, "I _would_ come back to a sex scene."

Just next to him, Bakugou was running his hand up and down Uraraka's lap, making sure to keep his shoulder movements at a minimal as to not ruffle the blanket that clung loosely onto them. He was _certain_ that she knew what he was doing now and was silently permitting him to continue by shifting her body to make it easier for him to hold her.

...

 _Chris held Jen's face desperately as he crashed his lips on hers, quickly slipping in a tongue and fumbling with the buttons of her flannel shirt. She, in turn, moaned and fumbled with his belt._

 _..._

Bakugou slid a furtive hand under Uraraka's shirt, pulling a soft gasp from her.

"Wha...Baku-" she whispered.

"Damn, that's sexy," he remarked, "Just look at them go." His fingers trailed her stomach, tracing circles over her clenched muscles and ribs, then-

"Mmmmf!" Uraraka smothered a yelp as Bakugou's hand greedily took her right breast.

Kirishima noticed her distress and worriedly asked, "You okay there, Uraraka? This kind of stuff isn't too much for you, is it?"

"N-not...at all…hmm…!" Uraraka fought to get her reply out and held her breath again when Bakugou gave her a slow and gentle squeeze. "I...I'm fine."

"Alright," said Kirishima, "Let me know if it gets to be too much."

"Ye-yeah...sure." Uraraka nearly bit her tongue at the second squeeze.

"And stop making weird comments, Bakugou. You're making her comfortable."

"Oh, I sure fucking am," Bakugou almost snickered as he teasingly rubbed his middle finger over Uraraka's hardening bud. She shuddered and curled under him, unintentionally dropping more of the blanket over herself.

"Whoa, it's getting graphic," Kirishima exclaimed and pointed at the TV. The scene moved to Chris and Jennifer laying naked inside what looked to be their own private tent. Or at least Chris' private tent.

"Woooo!" Sero and Kaminari cheered from their corner, "Get it, Chris!"

"Jen's so sexy…" Mineta chimed in with them.

...

 _Jen's hips gyrated provocatively under the white sheets that enveloped her and Chris' lower halves. Her D-sized breasts bounced in the open, brown nipples pinched between Chris' long fingers as he held and massaged her._

" _Oh, Chris…" Jen moaned, "Oh...hnn…"_

" _Jen…" Chris moaned back, his hips thrusting slowly upwards. "Ah…ahh...!"_

 _..._

Bakugou raised Uraraka's shirt all the way up and over her right breast as he continued to knead it. She held back a cry and leaned forward, helpless to her own pleasure and filling more of his hand with her bouncy mound.

It thrilled Bakugou how vulnerable they were— just a lift of the blanket and everyone in the room would see the perversion he was committing on Uraraka's sensitive and half-exposed body. Heck, if they looked carefully enough now, they'd be able to make out the small protrusion of her nipple and his fingers that ran over it so shamelessly.

"B-Bakugou," Uraraka grunted, "Stop...people are gonna...s-see…" She opened her lips wider, managing to release a longing breath as she silenced another cry that pressed against her throat. The blanket was making her feel hotter than she needed to be, in turn, spurning her impatience to surface faster.

That was until Bakugou suddenly released his grip and pulled her shirt back down.

"Huh?" She frowned, puzzled.

"I've sat through this shit flick long enough," Bakugou stood up with a huff, dropping the rest of the blanket on Uraraka. He watched her hastily wrap herself with it, head bowed and unable to look him the eye. "I'm turning in for the night. _Don't_ fucking wake me up for a morning workout tomorrow or I swear I'll kill you." He glared specifically at Kirishima as he said this.

"Aye-aye…" Kirishima could only chuckle as Bakugou then made his way to the exit. "I swear," he said, turning to Uraraka, "He's like a spoiled kid. At least his temper has calmed down by a lot over the years so there's that."

Uraraka hugged herself. "Yeah…" she mumbled, "I guess so."

Todoroki, who was the first to venture from the entertainment room to fetch himself a snack in the middle of the intimate scene, walked back in and blinked at the screen. "Westerners must really like these kinds of things, huh," he mumbled out loud, "They seem to be taking their time with it."

Yaoyorozu visibly blushed at the boy's honest commentary. "A-are you self-conscious about this, Todoroki?" she asked timidly.

"I don't really care for it," Todoroki shrugged and returned to his seat next to Tokoyami and Ojiro. "It's just...I expected a fight against the undead. The premise seemed interesting. Instead, it's come to something like this. It's kind of strange...and disappointing." He opened his bag of veggie fries and took a bite out of one of them.

'So straightforward…' Class A empathized in the thought.

"Ugh, it's getting _so_ awkward now!" Mina cried, covering her eyes.

"Yep and they're _still_ at it," Kirishima commented next as he took a sip of his soda, "What rating did you say this was again, Kaminari?"

"The box said R," Kaminari replied, "Look, it's not an adult video, okay? Sero and I made sure of that."

"Like you two are _so_ trustworthy," Jiro sneered at them from the couch, "I wouldn't be surprised if this actually was some weird porno since you guys picked the title."

"Oh, ha-ha you're _so_ funny, Jiro!" Kaminari jibed, "How many years have we been in the same class together and you _still_ make fun of me?"

"It's hard not to," Jiro laughed jubilantly.

As the smutty scene went on, Uraraka found her friends' voices growing faint around her. Her body still burned from Bakugou's touch and the worst part was...she liked it.

...

" _Oh...ohh...ah…." Jen moaned._

...

She had _let_ him feel her that way, in the presence of their classmates no less, and rather than being appalled by it, she was sickly elated by the situation.

...

" _Shh…" Chris panted, "You might, ungh…wake up...everyone…"_

 _..._

More...there had to be more.

...

" _I don't...care," Jen ground her hips with his, "Let them listen. This feels...ahh…way too...good…"_

…

There was no mistaking the look Bakugou gave her as he stood from the floor, his gaze dark but lacking in malignity. Rather, it was alluring in every forbidden sense of the word, silently beckoning her to do like a certain night they shared and heed his words from earlier, ' _Whenever you're ready, you know where to find me.'_

Uraraka dragged the blanket off of her overheated body.

"Uraraka?" Kirishima wondered as the brunette suddenly stood up from her spot.

"Bathroom," Uraraka automatically replied then brisk-walked across the common room and out the door. Once she was in the dorm hallway, her legs sprung to speed, unknowingly whizzing her past Asui who had just emerged from a smaller hallway that led to the girls' restroom.

"Ochako?" she croaked but went ignored.

Uraraka flew up two flights of stairs to the boys' floor in a matter of seconds. 'I won't do it if his door is locked,' she promised herself, 'It'll mean I misread the whole situation and am just about to make a complete fool out of myself. So if it's locked...please…' She stopped at the dim and empty hallway. 'Let fate judge me now.' Gathering her nerves, she slowly walked up to the door she sought and placed her hand on its cold knob. Then, as softly and quietly as she could, she turned it.

It was unlocked.

Tears pooling in her eyes, she gave the door a slow and creaky push, stirring the Devil that slumbered inside.

He wore his school shirt unbuttoned, black leather belt unbuckled, and sat at the foot of his neatly-made bed, elbows on his knees and body hunched over in waiting. His blood-red eyes glowed as he raised his head to look at her, the silver scintillation of moonlight illuminating his ash-blonde hair and just about every open surface of his room. Though most of his face was obscured by shadows, a smirk could be discerned to complement his throaty growl of, "About damn time." He left his resting spot, taking only six slow steps to reach his visitor.

Uraraka loosened her hold on the doorknob and pleaded quietly, "Please...show me more."

"You sure that's what you want?"

"...Yes."

"Even if it's me?"

"I just have to think of Deku, right?"

"As long as you know what you're getting into."

"I can take it."

In one sharp breath, Uraraka was pulled into the room and entangled in the arms of another who she knew her heart wasn't meant for.

.

.

"See?" Sero bragged as he shoved another handful of popcorn into his mouth, "Having sex in the middle of a forest in a zombie apocalypse is never a good idea. At least wait until you get to a small store to lock up or something. Amateurs."

"Shhhh!" an overly invested Kaminari and Mineta chided him, "Let the movie speak for itself!"

"They're really into it, huh?" Ojiro couldn't help but chuckle in amusement.

"Shamefully so," Tokoyami nodded along with Todoroki.

Kirishima smiled at his friends, suddenly remembering he was missing one in particular that used to sit next to him. 'She sure has been gone a while.' It seemed as though the AC had finally adjusted itself to the appropriate temperature because he was feeling rather uncomfortably warm now. He stripped himself of his blanket and looked down to where Uraraka and Bakugou had left his other blanket. "Huh?" A small pink corner of something peeped out from under it. He took the item to reveal Uraraka's cellphone with a new message sender preview of _'Izuku M.'_ glowing on its screen.


	5. Chapter 5

The small creaks and clicks of the aging walls were all Uraraka could hear as she laid still on sheets blacker than the empty cosmos, wrinkled and wrapped around her bare chest and legs. She hadn't slept the whole night but her bloodshot eyes were wide as could be, staring up at the ceiling light that never flickered on. The mind always sought a compass, a clear and solid direction to existential comfort. Life's status quo was such that compass and she knew, against her better judgment, she had willingly broken hers. Now she was lost with no one to blame but herself.

She wanted to turn to her side but her limbs felt numb. She wanted to sit up but her bottom half ached. She wanted to cry, either from ruefulness or joy, but no tears would come. 'I said I could take it,' she reminded herself, 'I said I could take it…'

She looked down at her feet and recognized Bakugou's hunched figure sitting next to them, his broad back facing her. The faint light spilling from the windows outlined every ripple of hard muscle that composed his athletic physique. His eggshell skin and ashen hair also glistened with fresh moisture, indicating his early use of the shower before her return to consciousness. "You awake?" His voice was raspy, tired, but still held some form of concern as he passed the question to her.

Creaks and clicks. The air...so thin...so heavy.

"Yeah," Uraraka could only whisper. Looking at him more closely, she discovered his back was riddled with dull-red scratches stretching up to his shoulders.

Bakugou took in a deep breath then slowly exhaled, "It's morning," as if afraid the faintest vibration of sound might break them.

"...Oh." Uraraka went back to staring at the ceiling.

Bakugou stood from the bed, walking over to his multi-layered drawer and taking a fresh new pair of boxers from the lower section. "Can you move?" he asked after putting them on.

Saying nothing, Uraraka forced herself to sit up from her shock. She felt two items lightly hit her hand and looked down to find a small wrapped-up pill and a half-empty bottle of tepid water next to her fingers.

"Drink that," Bakugou advised, already having slipped into his baggy dark denim shorts and now unfolding a shirt he intended to put on. His hand left the upper drawer slot where he pulled the items from.

"What's it for?" Uraraka frowned.

"You," Bakugou refrained from sounding exasperated, "I got too carried away last night and…" He cleared his throat. "Anyway, you should take it if you don't want a little me baking in your oven." He threw on his favorite skull tee and began spraying himself with cologne.

Uraraka usually liked the rainforest smell he wore and even smothered herself in it through all of last night. However, it just served as a distant reminder of her transgressions now, intoxicating her lungs with its cool scent...

.

.

Bakugou pulled Uraraka from the doorway, her slippers leaving her feet and their lips colliding as he hastily locked the door behind them. They stumbled across his room in a blind search for his bed which, luckily, he managed to pin her down on in one try with only muscle memory to thank for it. She clawed at his shirt and he gave into her wordless demand, practically ripping the material from his torso and tossing it to the back of wherever.

To reciprocate his gusto, Uraraka moved fast and on instinct, this time volunteering to remove her own shirt to free herself from the hot discomfort she'd been tortured with since earlier. She groaned all too happily when his palms slid up to cup her naked breasts, massaging and squeezing them as he planted an array of kisses down her neck. She bucked her hips to his, letting him know her next area of discomfort that needed tending to. He willfully obliged, helping her out of her shorts without bothering to stop and look at what kind of panties she wore this time. He was confident he'd take them off her all the same.

 _Clink!_ Bakugou's eyes snapped open. 'Is she…?!' He looked down and, sure enough, Uraraka's small and panicked hands were on the hem of his uniform pants, making repeated attempts to yank them from his waist. He moved a hand to help her but froze when she, again, outdid his expectations by unhooking the button and ripping the zipper down, nearly sending his sanity to the void when all of his blood ran to his other head. "Shit," he groaned and saved himself from the humility of his own surprise by recapturing Uraraka's lips, eagerly licking and prodding the inside of her mouth to show every bit of appreciation he had for her dragging his pants down to his knees for him. He decided to do the rest and kicked the heavy material off, again, to the place of wherever. Adding to his deranged bliss and stupor were her thumbs hooking on to the garter of his black boxers. He reeled back, breaking their kiss. "Uraraka…" he growled. She stopped, traces of moonlight glistening in her lustful dark brown eyes as he held her wrists loosely, almost regretful in having put a stop to her actions. "Last chance," he warned her, "If you've got any second thoughts-"

"Ne, Bakugou…" Uraraka flicked her tongue over the corner of her mouth and tugged his boxers down, revealing more of the sculpted 'V' of his lower area. "I feel like I'm sinking...no, like...my head is spinning… I-Is this...normal?"

Bakugou slipped his fingers under the delicate band of her panties and slid them down her legs. "That makes two of us," he saucily grinned and discarded both their undergarments in succession. It was both a new and familiar scene made much better from the feel of their naked bodies finally making contact. They'd been cold earlier in the common room, trying to find warmth in each other under that measly blanket but now, they'd remedy that. "Hnn..." he purred as Uraraka forced his lips open with hers and reconnected their tongues. The feel of her breasts pressed flat against his bare chest drove him nearly over the edge but he held himself together, at least for a little while longer to see how much further they'd take this. He swept his hand over her soft curves, unwittingly causing her legs to clamp tighter around his sides.

"Ba-Bakugou…" Uraraka pulled back for air, "Hang on. I-I've never-."

Bakugou gently kissed her jaw. "That's why we'll take it as slow as you need to." He then moved to the corner of her mouth, planted a kiss there, then one on her swollen lips again, groaning with her in their sensuous licks that seemed to drive them into a trance. Her arms circled around his neck. His hands caressed and cradled her sides. Somehow, holding Uraraka this way felt different— much, _much_ more enjoyable than the other girls he'd been with. He could even say...he didn't mind her in the least. Or rather, there just didn't seem to be enough of her.

A cold drop of sweat left his temple. He was there. Her ragged breathing and constant squirming had alerted him to it but he did little to evade the inevitable. She looked up at him and his voice and breath stilled as he found himself seeking something in those earnest brown eyes of hers.

Uraraka held both of his shoulders. "Is it okay...that you're…y-you're..."

When Bakugou shifted, her first instinct was to reconnect her knees which pushed him forward and a little past her folds, applying just enough pressure on their tight enclosure to elicit another frightened cry from her. "Calm down," he hushed her with an unexpected gentleness to his tone, "Nothing's happened yet."

"M-m-maybe this w-wasn't such a good idea after all," Uraraka stammered while shielding her reddening face with her arm, "I shouldn't have come… I was b-being too i-impulsive. What would the others think of us? A-and there's De-Deku… No! We can't-" Before any more of her distress could follow, her arm was peeled from her face and her chin caught in Bakugou's fingers as he lifted her gaze to him.

"Uraraka." His voice was husky and low but held a magnitude that could shake an entire planet at its core.

"...Yeah?" Uraraka swallowed.

"Look at me in the eye and tell me honestly that you don't want this."

Uraraka bit her finger again as his hardness pressed insistently against her. The strange pain in her core was back and something told her that Bakugou was headed in the right direction in helping mitigate that pain.

"I'll stop," Bakugou spoke again, "Just say the word and it'll all be over."

Uraraka closed her eyes, savoring the immense heat of Bakugou's body enveloping hers. He was hot down there too, warming the outside of her inside if that made any sense. "Hah!" she cried and arched her back as one of her breasts disappeared into his hand.

From below, Bakugou pushed on her sensitive nub and up above, pinched slowly on the nipple he held between his fingers. He waited to hear her high-pitched squeal before letting his hand leave her breast to wander over her thigh and give it a squeeze. "Well?" It then fell to her butt where he, again, greedily squeezed. "What's the verdict?"

"N-no fair...Bakugou…" Uraraka whined.

The same hand dropped one more level lower, stopping at the slick area between her legs.

"Hyaaah!" Uraraka's hips rose from the bed as the first finger slipped into her entrance. "You're…ahh!" Then came the second. He'd found that sensitive spot of hers again and was already pushing at it. As her body temperature climbed rapidly to meet his, her mind had gone to a complete ringing blank. "I-I can't…" Her arms fell over her head, giving him a full view of her breasts as they bounced with every thrust of his finger. "You're...confusing me. I can't...think clearly...like this…"

"...Fine." Bakugou frowned and pulled his hand back. "Do you want to keep going or don't you?"

"I...I..." Uraraka lifted her knees, disconcerted by the emptiness she was left with when Bakugou retreated his hand. She could feel her wetness on the sheets, sighing when he pushed teasingly at her entrance again. He was there, tip hot and pointed in the direction it was meant to go. Yet, he didn't. He was still waiting…for her. "Bakugou…I..." She closed her eyes, her hips instinctively lifting and rolling in an attempt to slip him further in with only the last ounce of hesitance in her conscience to stop it from happening.

Bakugou asked a bit more impatiently, "Well?"

"...I don't…" Uraraka choked.

Bakugou grimaced as the full weight of his disappointment crashed on him. But when he tried to pull away, he was met with a pair of strong toned legs that hooked onto his hips and held him still.

"I don't...want you to...stop," Uraraka struggled to finish, turning away in shame of hearing the truth of her own avarice. "Please..."

As though she had just applied her quirk on him, Bakugou felt he had floated up to the highest clouds. "Then I won't," he whispered, fighting back a wicked smile. "I've gotta warn you though, your first time won't be a painless experience."

Uraraka shuddered at the thought. "...I-I know."

"But it'll feel good after a while," Bakugou assured her, "You've just gotta give it enough time."

Uraraka nodded, keeping her eyes closed as Bakugou leaned down to claim her lips yet again. She was unconsciously reeling him in, forcing him to plant his palms firmly on the mattress to keep himself from slipping completely inside her when he was still unsure if she was sure. At this point, his brain could hardly grasp the definition of 'sure' anymore. All he knew was that his sanity was quickly declining with every twist of their tongues and every thrust of their hips as their bodies began to fall in sync. Be it a conscious choice or instincts kicking in, she suddenly spread her legs wider and pressed a forceful hand down on his lower back. Unable to fight the urge to meet his own needs anymore, he cupped her face, gripped her side, and gave one powerful thrust forward— fully entering her.

"Kyaaaah!" Uraraka cried as she instantly came apart. "N-no, Bakugou! I don't think it's going to-" Tears streamed from her eyes. She'd never known pain like this before. It felt invasive yet wanted, piercing her core and steadily sinking deeper. He'd completely filled her inside and she could feel him pulsing against her walls as he laid still to give her time to adjust.

Bakugou let her catch her breath and ease her breathing altogether. After a few more ticks of the clock, he shifted slightly. "Warned you, didn't I?" he half-heartedly chuckled.

Uraraka wished she could see what kind of expression he was making but preferred to keep her eyes closed to the infidelity she was committing. Never had she forgotten about Midoriya but knew that she'd chosen to turn a blind eye to him to satisfy her curiosities. For another night...at least. "Yeah," she replied, "I just...didn't expect you to make me so...full." The small reminder reawakened her desire, making her ache for Bakugou to continue and turn her pain into pleasure just as he'd promised.

Steadying his arms on the bed, Bakugou lowered himself on Uraraka, moaning deeply at the feel of her winding tightly around him, sucking him deeper into her without waiting for him to even start yet. "Relax, Uraraka. You're squeezing the shit out of me right now." This only seemed to backfire as she whimpered and wrapped around him tighter, sending his brain, yet again, over the edge. Thinking quickly, he captured her lips in another attempt to put her at ease.

"Mmm…" Uraraka moaned as she threw her arms over his shoulders and caught his back with her fingernails.

To Bakugou's relief, he succeeded and she relaxed enough for him to start his motions. Considering it was her first time, he moved with slow intent.

"Mmm...hmmm…" Uraraka continued to whimper as their tongues met. A few loose tears fell past her lashes, the remnants of discomfort wearing away as Bakugou massaged her breasts and continued his rhythmic thrusts. The tangled sensations his performance gave felt surreal, tying messy knots in her belly and locking her heart in an intoxicating vice grip. It hurt— not necessarily the act of having sex but rather still seeing Midoriya even when she had her eyes closed. In fact, he was more prominent in that darkness. He looked devastated, watching silently again as Bakugou continued to grind into her. "De...ku…" she barely murmured, trailing her nails up Bakugou's back and over his shoulders before letting her arms fall over her head, palms facing up. She reached for the curly-haired boy but this time, he didn't reach back. Tears fell from his tired eyes as he was unable to look away, subjected to the inhumane torture brought on by her sick imagination.

"Uraraka," a familiar voice called to her.

Uraraka opened her eyes only to realize how cold her cheeks were from the tears she had unknowingly cried. Hovering over her was Bakugou's own sweat-stained face, his brow pinched with clear concern. Before she could get a word out, he momentarily pulled out of her to turn her around so her back faced him. "What are you doing?" she asked nervously but was immediately calmed by a soft kiss on the cheek.

"This position should make it easier for you," said Bakugou as he lifted her to her knees and positioned his tip at her entrance again. "What I said before still stands true now, remember that."

Something was wrong, Uraraka could feel it, and not just with their situation but with the unmistakable strain in Bakugou's voice as he spoke to comfort her. "Baku-" He suddenly shoved himself into her, pulling a high-pitched, "Hyaaaah!" from her in place of his surname. She had no time to gather herself as he began thrusting madly into her, stirring her insides and filling her with pain and desire once more. "Ahh…" she moaned, "You're...go-going...too f-fa... Hnn! Ahh!"

Bakugou eased up on his pace and closed his eyes, taking in Uraraka's scent as he buried his nose in her hair. "Call his name, damn it!" he grunted with urgency, "Call his damn name!"

"...Huhnn...hah…D-De…" Uraraka panted. In a flash, Midoriya had moved from a crying and heartbroken mess in front of her to a confidently grinning partner behind her fondling her breasts and licking her ear. She imagined his green curls tickling her cheeks as he thrust into her, building a familiar pressure in her loins. "Deku...ah, Deku…!" she moaned as loudly as she had to for her conscience to be penetrated by her deceit. 'Not enough,' it said otherwise, 'You're not doing enough to make up for this. Who are you trying to kid?'

Bakugou was on overdrive ecstasy and hunger, gradually picking up speed with each passing minute. The new position Uraraka took on by herself proved detrimental to his physical resistance to climax and with their lack of protection, he knew he had to time himself just right on order to make a successful pull-out.

"Deku…" she wailed again, "Oh...hmm...Deku…!"

As an odd turn of events, Midoriya made an appearance in front of Bakugou this time, spurring more of the growing rage the blonde stubbornly held in since his leave. "Fuck you, Deku!" Bakugou growled at the phantom, "Get the hell out of my face! What are you? Some sick perv that likes to watch the girl he likes get pounded in by another guy?" The translucent Midoriya simply smiled. Unmoving. Unnerved.

Uraraka fell forward, her breaths labored and short. "De...ku…?"

"Fine," Bakugou grunted, forgetting his delicate role of Illusionist, "If I can't get your ass to leave, then watch carefully! I'm going to make Uraraka scream for me over and over again until she loses her fucking voice!" Undeterred, he clamped his hardened palms on her hips, bent his body forward, and began thrusting harder.

"Ahhhh!" Uraraka squealed, nearly ripping the sheets, "Hah...ah...ahh…!"

"How's it feel, huh?" Midoriya's lips moved beside her ear but Bakugou's voice blared from them. "Look at who's fucking your brains out right now, Uraraka! Tell Deku how it feels to have my dick inside you!"

The image of Midoriya quivered erratically in Uraraka's mind, glitching between him and Bakugou in millisecond intervals. "Ah...hnn! It feels...feels… Deku, I-"

Bakugou laid her down on her stomach and grabbed her hips. "Tell him!" he demanded again and proceeded to thrust faster.

Uraraka screamed into one of the pillows as Bakugou roughly kissed the delicate crook of her neck. Midoriya was completely derezzed from her conscience-appeasing fantasy at this point. With Bakugou demanding she give more voice to her pleasure while he helped her to her climax, she already knew it was impossible to retain the illusionary Midoriya's existence.

She had to face reality; the one dominating her now...was Bakugou. The one that destroyed her innocence...was Bakugou. The one she sought out tonight wasn't Midoriya but...Bakugou.

"I-I'm sorry, Deku. I'm s-so...sorry-" Uraraka raised her head from the pillow and cried, "It's... _so_ good! I'm...m-my mind is...going blank! Ahh! Oh, Bakugou! Please! Hnnn, ah…I can't...ahhnn…!"

Bakugou licked his teeth and gyrated his hips. His fantasy had come true— Uraraka was happily screaming his name with him inside her and her lustful voice sounded just as sweet and sexy as he'd imagined.

"Bakugou!" Uraraka cried again, "Ahh...Bakugou! Hah...I think...I-I'm...ahhh! Like last ti- Oh! Bakugou...Bakugou…!"

Bakugou felt her tremble and knew she had reached her peak. Right on schedule, too, because he was just about to- "Wait! Uraraka, don't just…!" She tightened up as his own body convulsed. Before he realized it, he had also found his release. "Fuck! Ahh…shit!" Figuring it was too late anyway, he decided to just hold onto her ass, sit on his knees, and hang his head back as he throatily groaned, "Fuck…"

"Hnnn...nngh…" Uraraka whimpered. She felt a bit proud at hearing the indomitable Bakugou softly grunt and sigh her name. Finally— she understood the sexual prowess of a woman.

"Oh…" both moaned as they separated and fell on the bed, sweating and panting profusely.

Bakugou peeked down. 'Fuck, I came a lot,' he cursed at himself and forced his body to sit back up. "Uraraka...oy, Uraraka."

"Hm?" Uraraka yawned, "Wh-what…"

"You okay?"

"Yeah...I-I think so." Uraraka hid a yawn the best she could. "I feel numb...and tired. And I'm kind of full for some reason…" She failed to hide the second yawn.

Bakugou fell back on the bed and let out a loud breath. "That's sex alright," he said, "Listen, I fucked up on the pull-out and ended up...cumming inside...you."

"...Oh...did you…?" Uraraka mumbled weakly, "That's nice…"

"Hah?!" Bakugou felt his face grow warm. "What do you mean nice?! That's bad! You need to take an emergency pill before you- Well, y'know!"

No response.

"...Uraraka?" Bakugou turned and crawled to her side and found her fast asleep. At first, he scowled but then grinned when she began to emit a soft snore.

"...Mm...Deku…" she mumbled and buried her face deeper into his pillow.

Bakugou sighed, "Seriously, falling asleep so easily in another guy's room. How careless can you be? ...Idiot." Scowling, he carefully tucked her under his blanket and slid in next to her.

.

.

"W-w-we literally slept together?!" Uraraka cried and slapped her hands on her cheeks, having finally come awake to that realization.

Bakugou picked up on her discomfort and sarcastically asked, "Should I have been the bigger person and reasoned you out of it?"

"...H-huh?" Uraraka shook her head, confused. "What do you mean?"

Bakugou perched his knee on the bed and slid to her side. "Believe me, the last thing I want is for you to feel like sh-" He shook his head. "Look, what we did, you and I both know we can't take any of it back, but I've just gotta say… You're a surprisingly fast learner."

Overwhelmed by embarrassment and flattery, Uraraka threw herself on him and buried her face in his shoulder. "You dummy," she murmured, "I told you to stop making fun of me, didn't I? Now you're complimenting me for weird stuff…"

Though taken slightly aback by her sudden reaction, Bakugou wrapped his arms around her naked and trembling body. Strange. His chest suddenly felt...squirmy. "Come on," he encouraged her, "We've gotta get you dressed. Although…I wouldn't mind a round two before you take that pill."

"Wha-mmm…hrrm-" Uraraka found herself kissing him again and quickly growing moist as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. His middle and index fingers moved next, hastily spreading her folds and stroking her inside. "N-nyaah…" She hadn't meant to sound like a cat, but the confused struggle of "no" and "yeah" would make for that combination. Too occupied by their kiss to see what was going on, she could only listen as what sounded like a zipper was ripped down.

"Hey, Bakugou!" Kirishima shouted and suddenly knocked on the door, startling both Bakugou and Uraraka to an abrupt stop. "Are you up yet? Bakugou! Hello?" He persisted another round of loud knocks.

"What the hell do you want, Kirishima?!" Bakugou snarled, "I'm trying to sleep here!"

"It's urgent!" Kirishima insisted, "Open up! I've gotta talk to you!"

"No! Fuck off!"

"It's about Uraraka!"

Bakugou fell silent along with Uraraka who looked up at him with wide and anxious eyes.

"So...can I come in?" Kirishima asked again.

"I already told you 'NO,' didn't I?!" Bakugou quickly refuted.

"Ugh, fine!" Kirishima groaned in frustration, "Look, Uraraka left in the middle of the movie last night and never came back even though she said she was just going to the bathroom. I was wondering if you saw her by any chance since you left first."

Uraraka's face reddened as she silently shook her head at the smug blonde.

"Hmm...did she now?" Bakugou smirked, "Don't think I saw her. I just came straight into my room after I left. Did she say where she was going?"

There was a pause, some shifting, then Kirishima's response of, "Its really hard to hear you, man. Can you at least come close to the door?"

Uraraka let out a small squeak as Bakugou suddenly picked her up from the bed and carried her over to the door where he roughly pinned her.

"Whoa!" Kirishima could be heard jumping back, "Take it easy! What's with the temper today?"

"What are you doing?!" Uraraka hissed, minding to keep her voice down as to not give away her presence.

Bakugou effortlessly lifted and wrapped her legs around his waist. "My bad," he breathed lowly, "I had a _long_ night. Kinda lost my balance there for a sec."

Uraraka blushed and glared at him. "Don't you dare…" she warned. Of course, her foreboding words fell on deaf ears when he guided himself into her. "Ah…!" she almost yelped but bit her lip when she remembered Kirishima stood just behind her.

"Anyway," the oblivious Kirishima continued to voice his concerns, "I'm asking you because I tried checking on her this morning and there was no answer in her room. I even tried knocking loudly like I did with you just now and still nothing. I'm starting to get a bit worried."

Bakugou groped Uraraka's cheeks and dove deeper into her. "There's nothing to worry about," he assured the redhead, "She's a grown-ass woman and a third-year hero in training like us. She can handle herself just fine." He swallowed her muffled cries in a tongue-tangling kiss. From how she was desperately clawing at his back, panting into his mouth, and locking her legs tightly onto his waist, he could tell she already came.

"So you really have no idea where she went off to?" Kirishima tried again.

"Like hell I would," Bakugou grunted as Uraraka pleadingly pressed her lips to his neck, "She could have gone on a date with some random guy for all we know and stayed the night at his place, having the time of her life and shit."

"Dude...don't even…" Kirishima griped, clearly unamused.

Holding back a sadistic chuckle, Bakugou hurriedly flung himself and Uraraka from the door to the floor.

"What was that?" Kirishima asked worriedly and knocked on the door. "Bakugou! You alright in there?"

"Just…" Bakugou panted, pounding into Uraraka harder while keeping one hand over her mouth. "Getting started...on...my...morning...workout..."

Kirishima anxiously shuffled his feet. "Um...okay? Is it cool if I come in now?" He jiggled the doorknob.

Uraraka closed her eyes and threw her head back in pained ecstasy.

"Hell no!" Bakugou tucked his arms under her knees, lifting her legs higher than she ever could on her own. "I'm busy fucking right now."

Uraraka's eyes snapped wide open and Kirishima could be heard awkwardly coughing out, "Wa-wait, wait...what?!"

"I'm fucking busy right now, damn it!" Bakugou angrily corrected himself and caught Uraraka's lips as he pounded his everything into her. She writhed violently under him before matching her hip rolls with his thrusts.

"O-oh…yeah," Kirishima cleared his throat, "That's what I thought you said. Well, if you see her around before I do, can you let her know I have her cell phone? She left it back in the common room."

Uraraka bucked her hips and bit down on her hand. "Nnnnggh!" she cried into her own skin, twisting away from the door's direction.

Bakugou let out a low, "Oh...oh, fuck…" Like last night, Uraraka had no problem sucking him dry despite having climaxed twice this round— a delicious trait he couldn't bring himself to complain about. "I'll tell her if I see her!" he finally shouted at the door, "If not, then tough. That's her problem." She glared at him and he simply shrugged back.

"Thanks!" Kirishima's voice bounced down the hall, "See you later then! And sorry for bugging you!" Rapid footsteps followed, then silence.

Licking his lips, Bakugou pulled himself out and Uraraka, holding the blankets to her body, slowly rose from the floor, struggling to stand on her wobbly knees. "Just how many times have you done this sort of thing with someone?" she mindlessly asked.

Bakugou pulled up his zipper and glared at her. "Thing?" he questioned back, "What do you mean?"

Uraraka realized her error and hurriedly transferred her clothes from the floor to her body, making sure to keep her back to him. She finished yanking her pink shirt down and said, "It doesn't matter. I just...it's not… Nevermind. Thanks for everything!" She gathered the water bottle and pill from the bed and made a dash for the door.

"Oy, Uraraka!" Bakugou called after her but found she was already gone. "What the hell…" He grabbed his things— wallet, cell phone, and keys— and hurried after her.

...

Gravity Sneak proved handy for such an escape, making Uraraka's footsteps light and soundless as a barn owl's wings as she ran barefoot across the hallway and stairs. After locking the door to her room, she pushed the white pill out of its foil packaging and onto her hand then swallowed it down with a quick sip of the bottled water. 'Why else would he even have this kind of medicine?' Her chest gave a painful squeeze, reminiscent of the one she felt the day she witnessed the rejected confession. Was she just now regretting her unfaithfulness to Midoriya even though they weren't technically dating? No, that wasn't quite it. Was she embarrassed that Bakugou did _that_ with Kirishima so close by? Twice now? Or was she just self-conscious about her performance as his partner? 'Perhaps…maybe...could it...?' The words of endless supposing swirled turbulently in her mind. Before she could ponder more on them, a slow knock rapped on her door. She froze in her spot, hoping whoever was outside would give up and go away, leaving her to her self-pity.

"Oy," the person gruffly called, "Uraraka!"

It _had_ to be the temperamental blonde who she'd just fled from.

Uraraka pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, grudgingly conceding to the fact that opening the door for him would prove smarter than to keep it closed when he knew she was inside. The last thing she wanted was for him to lose his temper and create a scene. Sighing, she walked over to the door and opened it a crack. "What?" she asked.

Bakugou grimaced at her unusually curt tone. "What the hell's wrong with you? Suddenly running off like that… Do you have any idea what a disaster it would've been if someone saw you coming out of _my_ room first thing in the goddamn morning?"

"Oh, and you practically shouting in the hallway in front of _my_ room is so much better," Uraraka countered, "You're just the _king_ of discretion, aren't you?"

"Oy, don't get snippy with me!" Bakugou angrily rebuked, "I was having a dandy-ass morning up until you-"

"Oh!" Kirishima, who just happened to be revisiting the girls' floor, loudly beamed, "Uraraka! You're back! And…" He arched an eyebrow. "Bakugou?" Bakugou bit down on his tongue as Uraraka felt the blood leave her face. Their heads just about crackled as they turned to their side to find the normal-clothed redhead standing just a couple of feet from them, goofily grinning from ear to ear. "When did you get back?" he first addressed Uraraka then turned back to Bakugou. "And why didn't you tell me she got back? I told you to tell me."

"Hah?!" Bakugou fumed, "And who are you to give me orders all of a sudden?!"

"I told you, I was worried!" Kirishima defended himself.

"Sorry about that," Uraraka laughed anxiously, forced to open her door wider to get some outside air to calm her nerves. "I...I wasn't feeling well afterward so I decided to just go to bed and slept like a log. You know how it is. School, work, school! Speaking of…" She remembered Kirishima's mention of her phone from earlier and innocently asked him, "Did I...by any chance leave my cell in the common room last night? I can't find it anywhere and I have to text my manager confirming my shift for today."

"Oh! Yeah!" Kirishima dug into his shorts pocket and pulled from it her pink cellphone. "Here you go!"

Uraraka happily took back the device and bowed to him, "Thank you so much, Kirishima!"

Kirishima sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "It's no big deal. Although, I feel like I was supposed to tell you something important...hm. I'll probably remember it later. What time do you get off work today? Any plans after?"

Bakugou felt his skin prickle and his body hairs stand.

"I'm not sure yet…" Uraraka mumbled, tapping her chin with her phone. "That's why I need to confirm my schedule with my manager first."

"Right..." Kirishima kicked dumbly at the ground. "W-well, it looks like you've got a lot to do so I'll leave you to it. See you around!" He turned to leave but stopped when he noticed Bakugou didn't move with him. "Err, Bakugou?"

Bakugou quickly waved him off with a scowl. "I'll go when I'm done here."

"...Alrighty then!" Kirishima shrugged and disappeared down the stairwell.

After ensuring the coast was clear, Bakugou glared at Uraraka and impatiently grumbled, "Text me the exact time you get off of work."

Uraraka's wide eyes flicked from her dying phone to the seething blonde in front of her. "What for?" she asked.

Bakugou dragged his feet from her door, stopped just before the stairs and, without even turning around to look at her, asked back, "Kirishima just asked you if you had plans after your shift, didn't he?"

Uraraka nodded slowly. "Uh...yes?"

"Well, tell him you do," Bakugou huffed, stuffing his hands into his pockets and continuing down the stairs.

"Wait, what do you-" The rest of Uraraka's inquiry was left unsaid as Bakugou disappeared the rest of the way down, his footsteps growing more distant with every step. 'What the heck...saying vague things like that…' she thought as she closed the door and leaned her back against it, holding her cell phone to her lips. It then vibrated and jingled, prompting her to flip the screen open to the text message under Bakugou's name that read:

' _Don't keep me waiting.'_

She suddenly felt as though her face was on fire. Phone held tight in both hands, she took in a deep, shaky breath and replied: _'Alright'_ before flipping the screen close and gathering a fresh set of clothes from her closet. 'He wouldn't...would he? I'm pretty sure he's just teasing me again.' Her heart skipped at the alternate. 'What am I getting so excited for? Geez…' Shrugging, she threw a pink bath towel over her shoulder and pranced back out the door, unable to rid herself of the smile that had overtaken her lips.

.

.

.

.

"Would you like some dessert for tonight, sir?" a tall, fair-haired boy dressed in semi-formal black and white attire opened a hand to Midoriya in docile servitude. "May I interest you in our famous creme brûlée? Or perhaps our home-made bread pudding?"

Midoriya momentarily looked up from his phone to answer, "No dessert, thank you. I'll just have another hot cup of err...Da-Dar...Darjee..."

"Darjeeling tea?"

"Darjeeling tea! Yes...please."

"Hm, and we'll take the check also," All Might added while sipping his cup of dark Turkish coffee.

"Of course," the waiter smiled at them and left to retrieve the requested items.

It was about past 9 P.M. in a fancy little bistro in the middle of San Francisco. All Might couldn't help but notice the profuse phone scrolling his apprentice had been doing since arriving and decided to mention, "Midoriya, my boy, I know it has been a long wait for you being so far from your friends and U.A."

"Hm? Oh." Midoriya put away his phone. "No, it's nothing. I understand what my mission is here. It's just…my mind's been on some things lately." 'Uraraka...she hasn't answered me since last night. What's going on? Is she hurt? What about the others? I hope everyone is okay. And Mom...' He couldn't bring himself to tell All Might about the menial concerns he held. Not when there were bigger matters to face.

All Might folded his bony hands atop the table. "You know," he smiled as he spoke, "We're just about done with the villain group activity investigation here and the authorities confirmed they'd handle the rest since it was a false code. Therefore, I don't think it'd be too bad if you left to Japan first. I can handle the remaining paperwork and fly back a little after you."

"What?!" Midoriya's eyes gleamed. "But A-All Might, I don't want to leave you by yourself here! Wh-what if the villains really do attack a-and you-"

"Young Midoriya," All Might chided him, "Please, it'd make me too sad if I'm treated like a defenseless old man by my apprentice. Surely, I can handle some piles of paper and running my pen over them. Plus, I'm realistic about my limits; I won't engage in the event of a villain attack."

Midoriya blushed in embarrassment and mumbled, "...Are you sure...it's okay?"

"Ab-so-lutely!" All Might searched his trenchcoat pocket and handed to Midoriya a sizable envelope. "I had a feeling something like this would happen, so take this. Inside are your passport and readjusted plane tickets."

Shaking with eagerness, Midoriya took the envelope and opened it to investigate its contents. When he read the information printed on his plane tickets, his eyes grew large and wide. "Wh-whoa!" he shouted, garnering the attention of the other customers, "This is...this is so close! The others back home won't have time to-"

"Then surprise them," All Might concluded, "I'm sure your Mom and friends would be nothing but pleased to have you return."

"Th-the-then I should pack! Right?!" Midoriya began to pace around the table. "There's so little time… I didn't expect you'd get a flight so early! N-not that I'm not grateful, but…"

"Tick-tock, Young Midoriya," All Might jeered, pointing at his wristwatch.

"Gyaaaaaah!" Midoriya cried and hurriedly put on his jacket, "I-I'm leaving first then, All Might! Thank you for everything!" He ducked under their incoming waiter's arm and sprinted out the restaurant doors, chanting, "Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap…!"


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm leaving for the day!" Uraraka exclaimed after hanging up her apron and stepping out from the back room of the bakery shop. Since she'd been called in for a mid-shift, she was getting out at the strange hour of 6:45 P.M.— not too late but not too early either.

Her manager, a stocky older woman with light peppered cheeks, peeked over at her from behind the counter and smiled, "Take care, Ochako! Thanks for all your help as always. I'll deposit your pay directly into your account by tomorrow morning. So sorry about the slight delay, dear."

"Not at all, ma'am!" Uraraka smiled back, "I know you're an honest person!"

"Don't forget your goodie bag!"

"Right!" Since she was well-liked, Uraraka always received a small paper bag of some of her shift's extra bread and sweets. She gracefully took it, thanked her manager, and continued on out the door. For some reason, her heart thumped with giddy anticipation the moment her right foot made contact with the sidewalk. Her left followed. Then right again. After taking a few more slow steps forward, she came to a stop. 'I'm so stupid,' she shook her head furiously, 'Of course he wouldn't. He never meant it that way and I totally misread everything. Ugh, stupid, stupid!' She looked down sadly at her paper bag, frowned, then gnawed her frustrations on its crumpled top. "Urrrrrggghhhh!"

"Did you suddenly forget you have opposable thumbs or do you just normally eat packaged food like a rabid animal?"

Uraraka immediately yanked the bag from her mouth and whirled around to find Bakugou glowering over her, severe scrutiny flashing in his crimson eyes. "Wh-what are _you_ doing here?" she asked, startled.

Bakugou twisted his lip in disdain. "I told you not to keep me waiting. Based off that, the answer to your question should already be obvious, don't you think?" He gruffly shrugged past her and walked ahead, hands tucked tight away in his pockets.

"You would've saved more than three breaths right there if you had just answered my question directly," Uraraka jibed and skipped after him.

"Hmph." Bakugou glanced at her from the corner of his eye, taking note of her bright pink short overalls, white tee, and matching bright pink cap. "And what's with that getup? You look like a fucked up birthday muffin."

"It's my work uniform!" Uraraka corrected him, her cheeks matching the shade of her outfit. "Why are you being so critical of me?"

"Because it's you," Bakugou took his jab in time to block a feathery punch from the flustered girl.

"Geez! What made you come to meet me anyway?" Uraraka boldly decided to bring the subject up, matching her strides with Bakugou's. "It's not like you."

"I've got time to kill. And I'm out of rubber."

"...Wh-wha-" Uraraka choked.

"Besides," Bakugou casually went on, "We can use this extra time to wait for those extras to go back to their rooms. It's way too crowded to do anything at Heights Alliance right now."

Uraraka was about to reprimand him for his shamelessness until bright flashes of gold, pink, and teal caught her zealous eyes. Her feet skidded to a stop as she looked up at the big TV screens splattering the numerous high-rise buildings of Musutafu.

"There's a park near here," Bakugou pressed on, "We'll just hang out there until it gets a little-" He noticed he was now walking and talking by himself and angrily pivoted to yell at the brunette, "Oy! Keep up, would you?!"

"But they're announcing the release date of the new Magical Girl: Sailor Star anime!" she whined, "Let's stay here until the end of the trailer. I've been _dying_ to see it since last month!"

"You can just look that shit up online, you damn otaku!" Bakugou fumed.

"But it looks so much cooler on the big screens…"

Bakugou rolled his eyes and grudgingly leaned against a newspaper stand to wait for Uraraka to move again. 'She likes this kind of shit?' he pondered, 'Couldn't grow up past two after all.' She, out of every person that walked the streets in monochromatic suits and dresses, seemed to glow brightly with the colorful evening lights. It was just like that time back in the classroom when she was reciting a passage from their English book— he had to look away.

Uraraka dreamily clasped her hands together. "Oh my gosh! Sailor Star looks so pretty! Whoa! And the effects look amazing! Did you see that, Bakugou?!" Seeing as he had his head cocked to the side, averting her gaze, she hurriedly ran up to him and shook him by the shoulder. "Tell me you saw that! She did her ultra-special magic move just now!"

Bakugou, annoyed, smacked her hands away. "Get real! As if I'd ever be interested in shit like that!" He left the newspaper stand and walked away, grinding his teeth and throwing curses under his breath.

"Bakugou!" the tenacious Uraraka called and ran after him, "Wait for me! Hey!"

Luckily, the park he was referring to wasn't too far, taking only about thirty minutes for them to arrive at its entrance after picking up a fresh new pack of (men's) contraceptives from the local drug store. Bakugou hid the box in his jacket's pocket and Uraraka smiled at the kids and their parents as they made their way out of the park, them also smiling back at her. "Fuck it," the explosive quirk user clicked his tongue in disapproval and turned towards the opposite direction. "This isn't going to work."

"Huh?" Uraraka stopped him. "Where are you going?"

" _Leaving_. There are too many goddamn people here and it's annoying me."

"...But aren't you hungry?"

"What the hell? No."

"...Well, I'm hungry."

"So what?"

"So…" Uraraka pulled him by the arm as she jogged further into the park. "We might as well enjoy these yummy treats my manager gave me since we're already here. Come on! I think I see an empty bench over there!"

Bakugou let out a displeased grunt as he allowed himself to be pulled to a bench that sat under a large cherry blossom tree that was about halfway through its petals. He grimaced as Uraraka sat him and herself down then opened her paper bag to share with him one of her proudest creations— some sort of fancy but lopsided little fruit tart composed of strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi. He scowled at it then at her.

Uraraka laughed and forced the tart into his hand. "Don't worry, silly, I know what you're thinking— no, I didn't go overboard with the vanilla extract this time."

"So you know where the lack of trust comes from."

"Yeah, yeah. Try first, critique later!"

Bakugou groaned and took his first bite, wincing but then relaxing when he started to chew. Uraraka beamed at this and took a bite out of another fruit tart she pulled from the paper bag. "Pretty good, huh?" she asked.

"I'll live," Bakugou grumped and finished the entirety of the snack. "At least it's not an attempt on my life like last time."

"Sheesh, can you stop bringing that up?" Uraraka pouted at him, "I barely started working at the bakery then and I was super excited to show off my new skills." Her shoulders rose and fell. "Iida, Kirishima, and Sero only threw up theirs. You… You almost died."

Bakugou passed on her second offer. "It took all of my willpower to keep conscious. Damn, just remembering it leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"I think Deku took it the best," Uraraka reminisced with a smile, "Despite his face turning into the same color as his hair, he managed to stretch a big smile and say to me, 'It's good, Uraraka.' I was so happy!"

"Until the dumbass threw up everything he ate that day and fainted," Bakugou inserted, scowling and shaking his head while the bubbly brunette shook with laughter.

"I remember that…" Uraraka guffawed, "Pffft, poor Deku, but...pffft! Hahaha! Oh god, I can't stop laughing! At least...hah...he forgave me."

A pensive silence sat on Bakugou's lips only to be broken with his reticent question, "How can you be like this with me?"

Uraraka's laughter gradually died down. "...What do you mean?"

"Being...whatever, making jokes. Shouldn't you be pissed? Disgusted?"

"Why would I be?"

"...Last night, I made you say my name instead of Deku's."

Uraraka choked and coughed. 'Of all the times to bring _that_ up.' "First of all," she huffed, throwing the other half of her fruit tart in the bag, "You had us agree to act normal around each other outside of...well, _that._ And second, I di-" She paused.

Bakugou's eyes flitted to hers. "You…?"

"Um...I…" Uraraka searched her mind for a more appropriate answer. "I didn't think much of it!" Her heartstrings wrung tight as her stomach churned. Was she really about to say, 'I didn't mind' just now? She shook the thought from her head and watched as Bakugou's darkened gaze fell on the cherry petals under their shoes.

"Good," he muttered, "You're handling this better than I expected."

"...Thanks." Uraraka found herself also staring at the ground, beholding how the older petals were haphazardly covered by fresh, much pinker ones. These had a warm and rosy glow to them, effortlessly boasting their beauty and youthful perfection. Yet, she couldn't help but think of the layer that hid underneath. Perhaps, once upon a time or even just a few hours prior, those brownish petals also glowed just as marvelously.

"Let's get going," said Bakugou as he stood from the bench with a tired groan, "I'm done with this place."

Uraraka followed after him, throwing the bag of leftover tart into a conveniently nearby trash bin. "...Umm," she spoke, "...Wh-why did you ask me...that?"

Her timid voice echoed loudly in Bakugou's ears, dragging him to a torpid stop. "What are you getting at?" he questioned back.

"I just find it kind of weird that you're concerning yourself about me considering how we…you..." Uraraka couldn't bring herself to finish, blushing deeply under the vermillion cover of dusk.

"You love overthinking things, don't you?" Bakugou cut her off with a sneer, "I just wanted to clear away any bad air before we got back. It doesn't sit well with me to have sex with someone that's pissy or depressed the whole time. We're doing this to _enjoy_ ourselves, for fuck's sake." There it was; evident pain flashing in those wide and ignorant brown eyes of hers. That was all he needed to see in the brief but mocking glare he shot her. Huffing, he turned away from her and continued on his way.

'What a mistake,' Uraraka realized when she thought over her question and the fragile circumstance it was asked under. All she could really do to save face now was mumble, "Yeah...of course," accompanied by a spiritless laugh.

The walk back to U.A. was clouded by heavy silence, to the point where it proved unbearably suffocating. Bakugou knew he had slipped up in his vocabulary, too caught up in his need to hurt and repel Uraraka. As much as he hated to admit it, her few words stirred him, as if trying to take apart the walls he spent countless years building and enforcing. What right did she have to suddenly waltz in and take it upon herself to pry into his business? His deepest thoughts? What next, his _feelings?_ The relationship they had wasn't that kind. Such a right never existed for her and never would.

"Sorry," Uraraka suddenly spoke up from behind.

"What the hell are you apologizing for?" Bakugou growled, stomping faster.

"I didn't mean to sound presumptuous…"

Bakugou felt a painful tightness travel from his throat to his gut. Before he could catch himself, his eyebrows had narrowed and his lips had twitched to a displeased frown. Again, she was reading him...seeking him. "What, you think you hurt my feelings or something?"

"Pretty much," Uraraka grinned timidly up at him.

"Let's get this straight, I'm not some cotton ball you've gotta worry about. Save your sentimental shit for when your fluffy-knight-in-shining-armor Deku gets back. It's just wasted on me."

Sensing a lighter tone to his voice, Uraraka ran in front of Bakugou, walking backwards and playfully teasing him with, "Fine! Just don't be too sad when I treat him _too_ well and he finally asks me out, okay?"

Bakugou felt his pockets shrink around his knuckles. "Ha! What the fuck are you on about?" His teeth gleamed under the dim path lights. "Hate to break it to you, Uraraka, but I don't consider you a loss. In fact, I'll be _relieved_ when shitnerd takes you off my back."

"You sure about that?" she strained a smile, "You do know that once Deku and I start officially dating, all of this will be over, right? You...me...you-know-what."

Bakugou took a wider step forward and caught Uraraka by her shoulders. "Then we'd better milk the shit out of this deal before that happens," he goaded, leaning closer to her face.

Uraraka found herself smiling at his mischievous instigation and, more shocking yet, giving peaceably into it. Surely, sharing a small, casual kiss still counted towards their agreement so they ran no risks of any misconstructions… Or so she figured, nearly crossing the hazardous border of self-doubt when his deceivingly soft lips met hers and his full weight overwhelmed her much smaller body. He pressed fervently against her, stumbling them across the dirt path and into a vibrant red maple where he boldly slipped in a quick tongue before pulling back to give her air.

The few visitors around them that were also in the midst of leaving jumped in surprise. The older individuals shook their heads with censure and some of the younger ones either smiled or hid their laughter. A child tugged at her mother's cardigan sleeve, pointed at Bakugou and Uraraka, and loudly asked, "Mommy, what are those strange people doing?"

Uraraka flinched and turned away, tucking her face behind Bakugou's arm to hide from their judgmental stares.

Bakugou took her wrist. "Come on," he said and guided the two of them deeper into the park's grassy off-trail areas, dark and devoid of any person or man-made lights.

"Where are we going?" Uraraka asked.

Bakugou brushed a thin tree branch aside and responded, "Away." He noticed she now held onto his hand but, as what was steadily becoming normal with her, he didn't mind. Instead, he kept extra mindful not to accidentally set off a pop or two as his fingers wound tightly around her small palm, keeping her close to his side. They skipped over a paved path, ducked under a cherry tree's branch, and stopped at the trunk where he carefully leaned her against him while his back stayed on the rough bark. This area of the park was comfortably placid with only the evening breeze whispering to the blooming trees and slow-dancing grass, gently advising them to grant their unexpected visitors a moment of privacy.

Bakugou looked down at Uraraka who seemed surprisingly snug in his arms and said, "I think we're good here."

"Really?" Uraraka hummed while leaning against his chest, "And where exactly is here, Bakugou?"

"I told you." He rubbed a thumb along her arm, almost affectionately, not breaking eye contact for even a second. "Away. From everyone."

Uraraka closed her eyes and sighed, letting Bakugou run his lips down her neck and his hands up her sides. Though she fully expected him to stop at her breasts or butt or...anywhere else remotely sexual, his right hand instead traveled further up to settle on her cheek. She gasped and pulled slightly back only to be drawn in by the boy's serpentine eyes. The cold glare they usually cast was gone, replaced by an unmistakable yet distant warmth that seemed to plead for her touch. Deliberately, as if acquainting herself with a recluse beast for the first time, she raised her fingers to his face to trace his jawline, stopping at his lips. _'You really wouldn't consider me a loss?'_ she wanted to ask but could not bring herself to tease him that far.

Bakugou pushed her chin up and whispered hoarsely, "For curiosity's sake, right?"

"Yep," Uraraka uttered, "For curiosity's sake."

Her heart gave two thundering thumps as his left arm circled her waist and drew her closer to his center. 'We should stop now, right?' She swallowed thickly. 'My chest...it feels like...it's going to break open at any second.' But when he pulled her face to his and began to close his eyes, she calmly smiled and tilted her head to fit his angle, letting her heavy eyelids fall shut once more.

There, under the secrecy of the emerging stars and quiet flutters of newly fallen pink petals, they shared a slow and tender kiss.

.

.

.

.

"Tokoyami."

— "Present."

"Todoroki."

— "Yes."

"Yaoyorozu."

— "Present as well, sir."

"Mineta."

— "Yep! I'm here!"

"Hmm...Midoriya's still obviously away, so on to the next person… Bakugou."

No answer.

Aizawa's eyebrows visibly rose from behind his roll book as he looked up to observe Bakugou's empty seat. "Bakugou Katsuki," he repeated, more for formality's sake.

"He's...absent?" Kaminari gasped, "But Bakugou's never absent!"

"The hierarchy's falling, I tell you!" Mineta cried.

Sero turned to Kirishima and suggested, "Maybe the guy caught a bad cold?"

Kirishima shook his head. "I don't think so. He seemed fine last I saw him."

Aizawa sighed loudly through the growing chatter, "Hagakure."

— "Right here, teach!" the invisible girl squeaked.

Aizawa grimaced as he checked off the last name on his list. "So we have three absences today— Bakugou Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, and Uraraka Ochako. I certainly hope this mysterious epidemic doesn't catch the rest of you." His eyes narrowed. "Lest a widespread investigation be launched and parents are called."

Class A gulped nervously at their teacher's cross implication and simultaneously bowed, "Understood, Mr. Aizawa."

Just as Aizawa closed his roll book and walked to his podium to put it down, the door slammed wide open to let in a panting Uraraka who announced, "Don't worry, I'm here! I-I'm-"

The other students' eyes grew wide with fright as Aizawa's pupils glowed an ominous red. " _Late_ , Uraraka," he hissed, his hair and scarf rising. "And impersonating All Might will not get you out of-"

"Damn it, Uraraka, get your fat ass out of the doorway!" Bakugou tried to rush past the brunette, failing to see the already angered Aizawa's approach until it was too late. "Shit…"

"Need I remind you that you are in a _professional_ classroom environment?" Aizawa's voice sank to a dangerous low as his glare intensified. "Both of you, to your seats... _now._ "

While Uraraka silently nodded and scurried over to her desk, Bakugou blew hot air from his nose and trudged to his. She sat down, cheeks pinking from the curious attention of her classmates and he slumped in his chair, glaring at Kirishima, Sero, and Kaminari who were snickering at his scolding. Bakugou leaned over, about to berate them, when his eyes met Uraraka's. She jerked back and so did he, be it marginally, then he scowled and turned around the other way to face the board, resting a cheek on his palm to block her and the other three from his peripherals.

Uraraka let out a small smile at this and set her things on her desk. 'Uh-oh.' She cupped both cheeks in her hands.

Just diagonal to the front of her, Kirishima sat, having turned his attention from his best friend to Uraraka herself. He watched with an amused smile as she fanned herself with her hand but to no avail, having to resort to a torn piece of notebook paper to cool her blush. 'Man,' he thought, 'She and Bakugou were busy with things all weekend. For them to come to class late, too…' He heaved a long and disappointed sigh. 'I feel like a lazy bum next to them now. Maybe I should get a part-time job also and start saving up for a university or something. Maybe even join a club.' His eyes flicked to Asui who he noticed also had her gaze fixed on Uraraka. She noticed his stare and looked blankly back at him. 'What the…?' She then calmly pointed past him and he followed her finger's direction to Bakugou. "What about him?" he whispered.

Asui quietly replied, "We have to focus on the lesson right now-ribbit," and swiveled back to face the front.

Kirishima scratched his chin. 'Hm, Tsu never says anything without reason. Something's up.'

It wasn't until much later in the day when classes ended that his hunch would be proven right. The moment he took one step out of the building, Asui pulled him to an emptier area to share details on her musings. She first peered over him, catching a stoic Todoroki check his empty blazer pockets, sigh, and venture back into the school building. "Bakugou isn't with you-ribbit?" she asked Kirishima.

Kirishima looked over his shoulder by reflex then shook his head. "Nah, he said he had an assignment he wanted to finish up."

"Hmm, and Ochako said she had a project to stay a bit late for today, too."

"What's this about exactly?" Kirishima finally asked.

"...There's been a strange vibe to them lately," Asui explained, referring to Bakugou and Uraraka, "I wasn't sure who to tell without sounding like I'm trying to spread shallow gossip-ribbit, but I think it's fine if it's you, Kirishima. To be honest, I've been thinking about it for a while now."

"Huh?" Kirishima frowned, "What vibe are you talking about?"

"I'm not really sure-ribbit," Asui admitted, "But don't you find it weird how they've been together a lot lately? Ochako's also been super secretive about where she goes and I sometimes catch her sneaking back into her room at odd hours past curfew."

"So...what, you think Bakugou and Uraraka are secretly dating or something?" Kirishima asked with a twisted curl of his lips.

Asui looked guiltily up at him, obviously just as disconcerted as he. "I...don't know. I don't want to jump to any conclusions-ribbit. I just want to know what your thoughts are first since you're closest to them."

" _I_ think you're worrying too much!" Kirishima chuckled, clapping Asui on the shoulder. "True, they've grown close over the course of this year but they've always been chill with each other since before that, me included. It's all mutual respect, Tsu. Nothing more!"

"Are you sure-ribbit?" Asui frowned, uncertain.

"Definitely!" Kirishima assured her with a confident and toothy smile, "I can see how people might misunderstand but trust me, there's nothing going on between them. Besides, there's no way Uraraka would suddenly forget about Midoriya and go after Bakugou at the drop of a hat. He's special to her."

Asui thought carefully over this, tapped her chin, then nodded. "That's true…" she muttered, "Sorry, maybe I am just overthinking things. I hope you don't think badly of me now-ribbit."

"Not at all. I'm sure Ba- Errm, _Uraraka_ would think you're very considerate for worrying about them." Kirishima shared with her another wide smile. "I know I do."

Asui smiled back.

...

Little did either of them know that in the obscure confines of their now empty classroom upstairs, Bakugou was seething. There were several instances throughout the day where he thought he would really lose control and claim Uraraka right then and there; seeing her nonchalantly walk up and down the school stairs, bend over the counter at Lunch Rush to look at the menu without heeding how high her skirt would ride up when she did so, or when she'd perform her stretching exercises during hero training in her body-fitting gym clothes. _Madness_ was the word he'd choose to describe his haunting. And when he overheard her tell her friends that she was staying to work on some things after school after he had told Kirishima and the other two dolts the same thing, his lower half instantly smoldered.

Once the last student left and all had grown quiet and still, his hunger worsened. As her cautious footsteps neared him, his heart slammed against his chest. And when she leaned down in front of his desk to stupidly ask, "Mind if I borrow today's notes from you?" he almost lost it.

"Here!" Bakugou snapped, whipping his notebook out and pushing it to her face. "Fucking take the damn thing!"

Uraraka, puzzled, received the notebook with a frown. "Sheesh, what's gotten into you?" she asked.

"You got the notes, didn't you?" Bakugou proceeded to hiss at her, "What are you still bugging me for?"

"Sor-ry!" Uraraka huffed and passively took Midoriya's seat behind Bakugou. "I'll be quick so no need to get all angsty."

"Hrrgghhh…" was his response.

'Heh, he's like a pu- Nope. Nevermind. Scratch that.' She cringed before turning her attention to the two notebooks in front of her. Though her hand moved across the pages with her mechanical pencil, her mind stayed put on Bakugou, unable to help but be curious about the things he thought about and if she sometimes wondered about them, too. For example… "The sky's pretty at this time, huh?"

"..."

"...Ah-"

"The fuck did you just ask me?"

"Sorry! Before I realized it, I was already talking out loud. Ignore me!"

"Then don't ask stupid questions to begin with!"

"I told you, I didn't realize it!"

"Well start realizing!"

"Fine!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Um, Bakugou, sorry but I actually have a question about the formula you wrote here-"

"Arrrgghh!" Bakugou gruffly spun around in his chair, straddling the seat as his arms hung over the back for support. "You can't keep quiet for one minute, can you? Do you even pay attention in class?"

"I...have a question about the formula you wrote here," Uraraka boldly repeated herself, unfazed by the blonde's intimidation tactics. "Please, _calmly_ explain it to me and I promise I'll leave you alone for the rest of...however long you plan on staying in here." She took note of his doubtful glare and held up a peace sign with her fingers. "Scout's honor."

"Tch." Bakugou yanked the notebook to his side and immediately went on to explain, "For this, you've gotta bring down the original exponent in front and multiply and subtract one. Better make for damn sure you give that letter a number or this shit won't work. You with me so far?"

Uraraka sheepishly nodded. "Ye-yeah. I'm with you."

"Okay," Bakugou continued, "So this one down here _should_ be a variable so mark that. Alright. Then make that line there, yeah. Now, this formula comes with three proofs which two of will limit that letter to be a positive integer."

'And he calls Deku a nerd…' Uraraka nearly giggled at her own thought as she continued to watch Bakugou's passionate arm swinging. 'Now he's taking some influence from Iida, too! How funny! Does he even realize what he's doing?'

Bakugou noticed her bouncing shoulders and looked menacingly up at her. "Your goldfish attention span really pisses me off, you know that?"

"...Sorry," Uraraka hiccuped.

"Quit apologizing."

"Okay."

Fortunately, Bakugou became victim to his own stubbornness, having invested so much of his know-hows and intellectual pride in his explanations, making earning his forgiveness an easier feat for Uraraka who fought to keep her focus on his mini-lesson. Her eyes hesitated to leave the notebook that now contained their shared notes, their fingertips brushing as Bakugou shifted every so often to show her how to calculate a few sample problems. An audible gulp ran down her throat as her eyes fell on Bakugou's lips and prominent apple next. She could even feel her mouth salivating, her heart rate hastening, and her fingers twitching at just a mere glimpse of his thick collarbone peeking out of his lazily buttoned, tie-less school shirt. The temptation to reach out and caress him like she did the past two nights nipped at her but she silently denied that beseeching.

Before Uraraka knew it, Bakugou reached the concluding sentence, "And that should be it for that formula." He spun the mechanical pencil between his middle and index fingers before inserting it back into her hold. "You should do some of the practice tests in the back of the textbook if you want to better understand how to use it properly."

"...Mm-hm! Ri-right, thanks." Uraraka hurriedly looked away.

Bakugou raised his head to glare at her but instead smirked at how red she'd suddenly turned. "What's eating you now?" he prodded.

Uraraka turned another shade darker and recoiled, "Nothing! No one's eating anything."

Bakugou rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Do what you want then."

"...Listen-"

Bakugou stopped midway of getting up from his chair and glared back at Uraraka. "What?" The whispers that only he could hear were back, making their sinful suggestions to him yet again. A certain word emanated stronger than the rest, one that he secretly hoped Uraraka would utter out.

Uraraka curled in her lower lip and muttered, "That...that time...when we kissed...a-at the...park…"

Bingo.

Admittedly, Bakugou had a knowing feeling of what Uraraka was getting at because he felt it that time, too— a little something more than the surface intimacy they exchanged. "Yeah?" he urged her to continue anyway, now standing over her.

Uraraka stood up to meet him but fell short just a little below his chin. She glanced away, premature embarrassment dusting her cheeks as she muttered, "...It was nice."

"Hmph," Bakugou snickered, "And nothing to say about the intense fucking we did all night after? Way to bruise a guy's ego."

Gathering her nerve, Uraraka took a step closer and raised a stony gaze to him. "I...I want to do it again. That kiss. It still counts as part of our agreement, right?"

Bakugou shook his head and bluntly scoffed, "No deal."

Uraraka wanted to run into the world's deepest hole and die in it. Against her better judgment, she just now took a gander and openly expressed her pleasure in that sensuous kiss. And what did she get in return?

"Too bad," Bakugou continued to jeer, a perverse grin stretching his lips. "Unless you've got more to offer, I'm not interested."

'More to offer.' Uraraka knew better than anyone what he meant. "The week just started so everyone's going to be all over the dorms today," she reasoned.

Bakugou looked around and shrugged as though he'd already figured out the most obvious solution. "Who says we've gotta stick to the dorms? We only agreed on _supplementary_ lessons...not a specific place for them." His smirk widened with her eyes. Perhaps all of his suffering today would be paid for after all— in full.

Uraraka backed away. "No way. This is our classroom for crying out loud!"

"And that's a problem because…?" Bakugou swooped down and smugly lifted her onto Midoriya's desk.

"Bakugou, I'm serious!" Uraraka balanced herself on the edge with her hand. "What if someone catches us in here?"

"Calm your tits," Bakugou brusquely chided and held Uraraka by her waist. "If being caught bugs you so much, then we'll keep it down. It's too late to back out now anyway since you've already gotten me worked up like this."

As usual, Uraraka lost herself in Bakugou's embrace yet again, unable to utter another word and gasping softly when he parted her legs to further close the gap between them. She was originally opposed to this ludicrous stunt, yes, but found her reason swiftly fleeing from her the longer their lips stayed connected. It felt just as warm and comforting as she remembered, nostalgic, like a beloved childhood dream of receiving a handsome Prince's kiss to wake her from her cursed slumber. This person who was a far cry from her ideal love...just how did he have this much of an effect on her?

No matter how much of her flesh Bakugou took and devoured, it just wasn't enough. A certain something was lacking, its ethereal sweetness only present whenever he kissed or held her with genuine tenderness. 'What the fuck is it?' He rolled his hardness in her palm, grunted, then moved her wrist to teach her the first motions of how to correctly stroke him. The fleeting closeness he sought escaped him again but he felt little need to pursue it now as his hand dipped under Uraraka's skirt.

Uraraka winced. This was a new combination for her— being touched _down there_ and awkwardly trying to keep a steady beat with her hand that cradled Bakugou's stiff package all the while having to remember to breathe between wet, passionate kisses and tongue sucking.

Bakugou let out another grunt as Uraraka's hand picked up speed. "Yeah...just like that," he instructed in barely above a whisper, "You get two new lessons today. How to give a guy his happy ending and…" At last, his fingers succeeded in ripping apart the middle area of her stockings, revealing white cotton panties and their dampened center. The rest of the stretchy material instantly clung to Uraraka's thighs as he lifted her legs over the desk to have himself a better look. "How to feed him a proper meal."

Uraraka turned beet red at his comment and squeaked, "Don't say weird things when you're looking at me like that. It's embarrassing..."

Bakugou moved her hand, having to bite his lip to suppress the eroticism that threatened to break from his throat. She gasped, perhaps fearing she'd accidentally hurt him, but he gave her a reassuring lick of his teeth and an angled smirk. "Which one do you want to learn first?"

"I…" Uraraka could feel Bakugou tensing terribly under her for a change, subject to the mercy of her touch.

"So we're starting with me, is that it?" an aggravated Bakugou asked.

It surprised Uraraka how quickly he went from suave and cocky to precious and desperate in just a few strokes of her hand. 'So what if it's two?' she wondered and leaned forward to offer her other hand.

Bakugou bent over and grabbed Midoriya's desk to keep his balance. He hadn't expected her to do that nor for her little experiment to yield such pleasing results. Oh, how he craved to pound her to no tomorrow for putting him through this. Yet, he had to remind himself that there was more fun to be had with what they were doing here and holding out a bit longer would reward him later. "Fuck...start moving...already," he grunted.

"Like this?" asked Uraraka as she assisted by wringing and squeezing a little harder.

'Maybe that wasn't such a good idea,' Bakugou regretfully thought as his pleasure meter spiked with the gravity manipulator's meticulous movements. "Ye-yeah," he struggled to say, "That's good." _So_ fucking good. The next thing he knew, she was pumping him again, baiting his seed to surface ahead of schedule. "Fuck this!" he snapped and pried her hands away.

"So-sorry, Bakugou!" Uraraka squeaked, "I did it wrong, didn't I?"

"Shut up and get on your knees," Bakugou commanded with a snarl.

"...What?" Uraraka immediately blushed. "He-here?! On the-"

"On the fucking desk! Get on your knees and make sure your ass is facing me!"

Uraraka scrambled to do just that, her fingers straining to keep her steady on the desk's limited surface area. "Wh-what's with this...position?" she asked nervously and got her answer when she felt his calloused hands on her buttocks. "Bakugou! Wh-what are you trying to- Kyaaah!" Something sultry suddenly entered her, stroking fast circles inside.

"Remember when I said I'd teach you how to feed a guy a proper meal?" Bakugou spoke, his voice muffled by mounds of peachy soft flesh. "Well, I'm fucking starving right now so take responsibility."

"N-no!" Uraraka squealed, her face bright red and stained with sweat. "Your mouth isn't supposed to...ahh...go th-there…! Nnngh!"

Bakugou entered her once more, smirking victoriously as her hand abandoned his wrist and she fell forward, giving him full entry to her most fervent and culpable body part. "Mmmm," he moaned, "Feels good, doesn't it, Uraraka?"

Uraraka had already lost the ability to keep her mouth closed, much less concoct a coherent response. "Nnn...wa-want…" she mewled and let him pull her back down with her butt on the desk and her full bare front facing him.

Bakugou slid his hands up to find her shirt buttons, swiftly undoing the first three to four below her collar. "Keep your voice down." It was his turn to fall on his knees as he plunged his head between Uraraka's thighs and voraciously helped himself to more of her, ultimately sending her over the edge in spasms and whimpers. He felt her hand on his head and her fingers in his hair, pushing him to explore her deeper.

Uraraka laid breathless atop the desk, having to perch one foot on its edge to give Bakugou the breathing space he needed. She could see his ash blonde spikes bobbing up and down between her legs, clothed partially by her skirt. She had never gone to these territories with past lovers before, chaste kisses being the most scandalous she'd ever done with them. But with Bakugou… The way he expertly maneuvered himself inside of her was nothing short of breathtaking.

Releasing a heavy and satisfied grunt, Bakugou, at last, retreated, a long thin string of Uraraka's nectar following the tip of his tongue before dripping down to his chin.

"You're...insane…" Uraraka heaved, sitting up from the desk and trying her best to glare sternly at him.

"Is that a compliment?" Bakugou smirked, rising slowly to her.

"...Maybe." Uraraka blushed as he pulled her in by her tie, this time for a soft and leisurely kiss, giving her an explicit taste of herself. To thank him, she planted a giggle on his lips at remembering the amazing performance he put on, her heart fluttering as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his hands in her thick chestnut hair.

"Oh, Todoroki!" a distant voice outside the room called, "You're still here!"

The door handle clicked, much too loudly for Bakugou's liking. "Shit, get dressed!"

Uraraka hopped off of Midoriya's desk and fixed herself in a panic, cramming her breasts into her bra then straightening her panties, partially torn stockings, and school shirt. Bakugou slacked his uniform lower than usual to hide the protruding evidence. Realizing they were still too close to each other to be relieved of suspicion, they darted back to their own seats.

…

Outside Class A's door, Todoroki turned to greet a familiar face, his hand kept stiff over the handle. "You're back," he stated with slight surprise.

"Yeah…" Midoriya grinned meekly, "I actually wanted to surprise everyone at the dorms since I figured you all would have already left by now, came to get a couple of things from my desk first, and...here _you_ are. So, uh, surprise!"

Unsure of what proper expression to make, Todoroki glanced from left to right, up and down, then back at Midoriya and managed a simple, "Thanks."

Midoriya noticed the fisted hand Todoroki held over the handle and asked, "Is something wrong with the door?"

"...The, uh…" Todoroki struggled with himself to find an alibi. He was never any good at thinking of these things on the spot. "The custodian...already locked it. For the day. I think."

…

Bakugou and Uraraka looked at each other, wide-eyed and pale at what they were hearing. Was Todoroki... _defending_ them?

"Who's the other guy?" Uraraka tried her best to whisper across the room.

"I can't tell, he's too damn quiet," Bakugou growled.

…

"That's strange," Midoriya remarked and reached over to take the handle. "It's not even after-hours yet. Here, let me try."

"N-no, wait, Midori-" Todoroki could only look on as Midoriya took the handle from him and gave it a strong twist.

"See?" the curly-haired teen beamed, sliding the door open, "All you've got to do is give it that extra push and you-"

"Midoriya, you shouldn't-" Todoroki tried again, lunging at his friend but missing his mark by just a smidge.

...Alas, they'd entered the beast's lair.

"Deku," Bakugou spoke the name so bitterly that he seemed to have spat it.

"Deku…" Uraraka's voice was significantly softer, easily mistaken for fondness.

"Kacchan! Uraraka! You're both still here, too?" Midoriya's eyes lit up as he ran the whole way into the room. He noticed the crooked position of his desk first, sighing in both sadness and nostalgia at how no one bothered to straighten it out since his time away from U.A. Though he found it strange how Uraraka didn't dash up to him first like she usually did, he simply perceived it as a side effect of overwhelmed surprise and bounced up to her desk to save her the trip. "I'm back, Uraraka!" he announced again, just for her this time, smiling and shyly offering his open arms for a hug.

"Y-yeah...I see that…" Uraraka forced a grin and stiffly stood up. The kind smile she had erased from her conscience was back and stood right in front of her now.

Talk about a cruel twist of fate.

Her eyes darted to Bakugou who scowled at her and Midoriya then gave specifically her his back. Preserving her smile, she gave Midoriya the tightest hug she could muster and tittered, "Welcome back, Deku! This is such a nice surprise!"

"Glad to be back," Midoriya replied and returned the gesture.

Bakugou shot a fatal glare at Todoroki who looked back at him just as intensely with his single, striking cerulean iris, long silver bangs shrouding the onyx one in a chilly enigma.


	7. Chapter 7

' _Fuck_. _'_ The caustic word reverberated in Bakugou's mind, blared full force, shaking his logic and composure to a chaotic uproar as he watched the disgustingly cozy humbug play out in front of him in real time. Class A was holding a small reunion in the common room at the moment, sharing what snacks they had in the cupboards, the half-empty liter bottles of punch or soda in the fridge, heck, even pocket candy that everyone tried to potluck for.

"Tch!" Bakugou always knew surprises were overrated. Leave it to Midoriya to upgrade that thought to a whole new level of lame. Some clumps of people here, some there, the main cluster being the big one in the entertainment center with Midoriya right smack in the middle of it, surrounded by his many talkative friends. Sitting next to him was Uraraka, looking cheerful as ever but also pretty damn idiotic because he knew that she knew that this was all terribly wrong. None of what they'd set up was supposed to go this way.

"Why didn't you tell any of us you were coming so soon?" Iida, who sat on Midoriya's other side, asked, "I could have arranged a ride for you."

"As I said, I wanted my return to be a surprise," Midoriya answered him with a radiant grin, "I figured I could at least put some smiles on your guys' faces to make up for not getting any of you souvenirs."

Bakugou rolled his eyes, keeping his bitter remarks to himself in the corner he occupied.

"Where did you go?" Mina asked next, "You said souvenirs so it must have been out of the country, right? Oh! Was it Korea? Singapore? Oooh-oooh! Moscow?!"

"Yeah, dude!" Kaminari scarfed down a handful of chips. "Tell us about your mission! We've been dying to hear all about it."

Midoriya mildly shook his head. "Sorry, no can do. I swore and signed to secrecy. All I can say is...it was a really good experience and I learned a lot about working professionally alongside a Hero."

"Lame…" Kaminari, Mina, Mineta, and Sero all sighed.

Thoughts of ' _I_ should have gone' or 'I'm _way_ more capable than him,' flashed by Bakugou, boiling a fresh pot of resentment in his gut. He knew he had come to terms with those envious demons years ago, to a degree, but it didn't make Midoriya being All Might's 'chosen' disciple a sweet and easy pill to swallow. Not for him. 'Deku… What's he got that I don't?' He sank in the gloomy corner, his cup of drained tepid punch crumpling in his smokey fist. 'First my middle school glory of being the only one to apply at U.A, then All Might, then inheriting One for All, and now…' _And now_ what? Why did he feel as though Midoriya was taking everything precious to him right before his very eyes? What else was left?

"It sure was funny that I happened on Todoroki first," he heard Midoriya say and assumed the subject had shifted to present events. "Then Kacchan and Uraraka after that. I think the door was stuck or something."

"Stuck?" a puzzled Yaoyorozu repeated, turning her gaze to the hot-and-cold teen.

As Todoroki expected, Bakugou's head snapped to attention, a blood-red gleam emanating from the opposite side of the room, aimed eerily at him. This didn't bother him in the slightest as he took a sip of his water and replied to Yaoyorozu, "I jammed it somehow but Midoriya came and fixed it."

"Ah, so that's what it was," she chirped, cheeks pinking, "That was quite the lucky misfortune then."

"...That's one way to put it." He gave Bakugou a prudent flick of his eyes then raised the water bottle to his lips for another sip.

'This fucker!' Bakugou internally fumed, offended by Todoroki's cheeky glancing.

"Yo!" Kirishima appeared from the sidelines and joined Bakugou in the corner with a plate of chips and candy. He offered some to the blonde but was snubbed on the spot. "Why are you standing all by yourself here like a wallflower? The party's over there."

"Call me that again and we'll see who ends up getting smashed into this wall," Bakugou retaliated.

Kirishima simply laughed, already used to his best friend's temper. "Anyway, did something happen back in the classroom?"

Bakugou turned his ire on the redhead. "What are you asking _me_ for?" he grouched, the cup he once held now a melted abomination on the floor.

"You were there…?" Kirishima arched an eyebrow. "And I'm asking because Uraraka's been kind of weird."

Bakugou scowled. "Weird, how?"

"You'd think that she'd be bouncing all over the walls now that Midoriya's back," Kirishima shared his thoughts, "But since arriving, she hasn't said a word. I also tried greeting her when she walked by me earlier but she didn't hear. I assumed she was still too surprised from meeting with Midoriya but I don't know. I can't quite put my finger on it. She has this faraway look in her eyes even though she's smiling a lot."

'You think I don't know that?' Bakugou refrained himself from saying as he oppositely mumbled, "Hm. Never noticed." Uraraka had had that listless expression on since leaving the classroom. He wanted to pull her to the side as they strode out the door behind Midoriya and Todoroki, to tell her to snap out of it and get a grip because he'd figure something out, but…

"Oh! She's looking this way!" Kirishima's eyes glinted with enthusiasm as he held up an approving thumb. "You're doing great, Uraraka!"

Uraraka was indeed staring at them from the couch, only having realized this when Kirishima said what he did and caught Midoriya's attention. "Doing great?" he asked, "Are you not feeling well, Uraraka?"

"Wh-who, me?" she jolted, "No, I mean, yes! I-I'm great! Why wouldn't I be? That's just...haha…no, yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Bakugou glowered at the rancor swelling in his mouth, saturating his tongue and teeth with a venom that could corrode the rockiest mountains. Uraraka had gone to Midoriya's side, walked alongside him when Bakugou himself wanted more than anything to pull her away and assure her safety; she was where she was always meant to be. "I'm outta here," he grumbled and left his corner.

"Where are you going?" Kirishima asked, still chewing on a strand of licorice.

"None of your business," Bakugou huffed back only to realize...

He shouldn't have looked back up.

It was as if the room fell to an asphyxiated hush and the lights turned deathly dim. The only person Bakugou could see clearly as he walked the slowest steps of his life was Uraraka sitting upright with that same unnaturally serene smile on her face. She reminded him of one of those so-called 'blushing brides' who was either about to walk the aisle or had just done her fancy strut and was being congratulated for tying the knot with some sorry loser.

Suddenly, her clear doe eyes shifted from Midoriya to the people between them, to the corner he just left, passing Kirishima, and stopped right at...him. To his confoundment, her angelic smile fell and her healthy rosy cheeks began to pale. Simultaneously, his chest ached as a phantom weight took its seat on his shoulders, making every step and breath he took heavy and cumbersome as he found he could not tear his gaze from her. 'What the hell are you looking at me like that for?!' he wanted to bark at her, inexplicable rage bubbling under his skin, threatening to surface violently from his pores. But he couldn't say it. God, how he wanted to wail his frustrations at her but couldn't because the reality was— he knew he was giving her that same exact crestfallen stare.

"By the way, Uraraka," Midoriya's voice was distant, obscured, like he was talking underwater. "With that thing you mentioned earlier...I'd like it if we could…" Something else followed but it wasn't registering anymore.

"Oooh, he's blushing!"..."Go for it, Midoriya!"..."We're rooting for you!"..."Good luck!"

Laughter. Cheering. Hooting.

Midoriya's face instantly flushed red. "Th-tha-that-that's not...I'm just…! It's not what you-"

Their voices, a deafening underwater cacophony beating mercilessly into Bakugou's ears. He turned away and bit his lip, his tolerance quickly waning.

"I, um…" For whatever reason, despite not being able to finish her thought, Uraraka's voice sounded clear as a bell, exorcising the copious darkness that surrounded the room. "Sorry, Midoriya, I'll have to see about that. I think my parents wanted me to call them tonight."

Bakugou was sure the encounter lasted only a few seconds in the real world but the illusionary suspension of time made it feel like a hundred years. He took his normal strides again, exhaustion still clinging to his body like a vengeful wraith. The hallway leading to the door was obstructed unintentionally by Todoroki who attempted to clear the way too late. "Come here!" Bakugou hissed, sinking his claws into the two-toned boy's school blazer and dragging him to the exit. "I've got a fucking bone to pick with you and depending on your answer, probably bash your head in with it, too."

Being the nearest person standing next to him, Yaoyorozu jumped. "To-Todoroki?! What's going on? What's Bakugou doing with you?"

Todoroki pressed an icy palm to Bakugou's knuckles, wrenching himself free as the blonde whipped his hand away in pain. "I can walk just fine on my own," he said, exhaling an arctic breath, "No need to drag me." As to not raise further suspicion, he put the others at ease with a nod then wordlessly followed after Bakugou.

.

.

...

….

 **… _..BAM!_**

"You bastard!"

Not even making it ten steps past the doors, Todoroki shortly found himself pinned against the nearest wall with a monstrous Bakugou looming over him. He tried to stand up properly but was immediately pinned back down again with a forearm to his throat.

"How much do you know, huh?" Bakugou snarled, "And don't you dare play dumb with me!"

Todoroki shoved Bakugou's arm away and glared back at him. "I don't plan to," he clarified, "Believe me, the last thing I _ever_ wanted to see was your head between Uraraka's legs doing... _that_."

Bakugou could feel steam erupting from his ears as his face glowed a habanero color. "You fucking sicko! You were watching us the whole time?!"

"I just wanted to get Endeavor's agency booklet to study up on it for the night. Of all the places to do that kind of thing and on top of Midoriya's desk, too. You really are despicable, Bakugou." Bakugou wouldn't deny that, keeping silent as his only means of accepting Todoroki's fearless confrontation. "You and Uraraka… How long have you two-"

"Why the hell does that matter?" Bakugou came close to punching the wall but willed himself to walk away, freeing Todoroki from his prison. "What I want to know is why you protected us from Deku. What game are you playing at, huh?"

"Don't misunderstand. It wasn't you I was protecting."

"...Hmph."

"Midoriya… He just came back from probably risking his life on a mission far away somewhere. He didn't need to see what I saw." Todoroki glanced at the common room's door to make sure it was still closed before resuming, "I'm sure that you know as well as I do the kind of relationship he and Uraraka have. Even if some of us won't say it, we all have an idea of it. If you understand what I'm saying, then you already know what you have to do."

"Oh, I understand," Bakugou cackled with sarcasm, "Uraraka should just wait and wait until she's a pile of bones for Deku to make his move because they're so damn perfect together. She can't possibly look at any other guys or go after her own needs, right? Because _Deku_ will do everything for her. My bad. I guess I was being too fucking kind."

Todoroki shook his head and muttered, "You know very well that's not what I'm implying."

"No shit." Bakugou stomped back to him and jabbed a finger into his chest. "Listen here, Half-and-Half, there's nothing wrong with what Uraraka and I are doing. She and Deku aren't officially an item and little suppositions you and the others have behind their backs don't count. I'm free to seek her out just as she's free to do the same with anyone else."

"And I'm supposed to believe that you're serious about her?" Todoroki immediately flung the question at Bakugou, straight as an arrow, his cold eyes unwavering as he sought his mark. "Tell me this, Bakugou— do you have any intention of taking this any further than what you're already doing?"

Bakugou glared back at him. "And why the fuck is what I do any of your business?"

"Just answer me."

"If I don't?!"

"...Hm," Todoroki sighed and brushed past Bakugou as he made his way back to the commons. "That's disappointing. I expected better from you." He stopped at the door handle. "Just so we're clear, I'm keeping your secret safe. As long as Midoriya and Uraraka haven't made their relationship official, I see no technical transgressions with what you two are doing...as appalling as I might find it. But mark my words, should they become official and you continue to interfere with them, I _will_ cross my line to protect my friends."

Grinning nastily at Todoroki's back, Bakugou took the liberty of flipping him the bird. "Tch, acting like you're so high and mighty," he spat, "You think the others will see you're a fucking saint when they find out that you just stood there and watched while I tongue-fucked Uraraka on Midoriya's desk?"

Todoroki clenched his hand and teeth. "That's a ridiculous thing to-"

"Face it, Half-and-Half," Bakugou continued his provocation, "You're just as sick and twisted as the rest of us. Tell me, did you enjoy it? Watching Uraraka squirm and moan with her tits out in the open while I ate her up? She tasted pretty damn good, just so you know. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Todoroki's left side began to sizzle and spark as he turned away from the door to face Bakugou. "Watch yourself, Bakugou…" he warned.

But Bakugou was unrelenting. "Quit using Deku as an excuse to lash out at me. I'm a guy, too. I can read you like a kid's book." In the spur of his wrath, he drove his fingers under Todoroki's collar and Todoroki did the same to him, bringing their eyes to level. Bakugou smirked. "Hit home, didn't I?"

They held their glare a couple of seconds longer then shoved each other away. "Pathetic," said Todoroki as he straightened the wrinkles on his uniform, "Trying so desperately to drag me down to your level. You're just as childish as ever."

"Hmph, don't flatter yourself," Bakugou scoffed, "You've been there since the classroom." He noticed the flames trailing up Todoroki's arm and clicked his tongue, "Watch it, peeper. You might set off the sprinklers."

The flames retreated and Todoroki silently twisted the handle.

"Uraraka _will_ look for me," Bakugou vowed, "And as of now, I have no plans to shut her out. So you keep to your fucking word and I'll keep your reputation safe."

Red coloring his view, Todoroki pushed the large door open with his shoulder, only to come awake when a small squeak greeted him. Peering down, he discovered Uraraka looking up at him while rubbing her nose. "Uraraka…" he noted then realized what he had done and quickly said, "Sorry. Did I hit you?"

Uraraka shook her head and giggled, "Don't worry, it didn't hurt. I was just surprised, that's all."

As though following every line of a tragic prophecy, Todoroki watched as her eyes slipped past him and over to Bakugou. He didn't have to turn around to figure out what kind of victorious face the explosive quirk user was making; he could feel it in his bones.

"Are you sure you don't want to join us, Uraraka?" Hagakure's voice floated out of the room, "We're treating Midoriya to some barbecue!"

"Yeah, just call your parents some other time," Sero added, "They'll understand, right?"

Todoroki waited. This was Midoriya. Surely, Uraraka wouldn't-

"Sorry, I'd love to but I really can't do it tonight," she replied with a disturbing cheeriness to her tone, "Besides, I also need to get some studying done since I'm sure I didn't do too well on my report. Maybe some other time."

"Aww…fine." Mina placed a hand on her hip and directed a finger at Shoji. "Since it's come to this… Shoji's treat! Woohoo!" The room blew up in a joyous clamor as Shoji fought off his classmates to defend his wallet from an early death.

Uraraka made a small bow of her head before trying to pass Todoroki by the doorway but found her hand caught in his just as the door closed behind her. Bakugou's face was instantly marred with annoyance while she flinched, neither having expected the calm and debonair teen to do something so impulsive.

"Wait, Uraraka." Todoroki almost sounded like he was pleading, his hold on her tightening. "Are you…" His tongue fell still. What was he _supposed_ to ask? 'Are you actually going to leave with Bakugou right now?' As if he could ask her or anyone something so invasive. "Are you…sure...you can't join for barbecue?" he managed to complete his question with a frown.

"Oh?" Uraraka's large eyes sparkled. "You're actually going, Todoroki?"

"Well, yes," he mumbled, "Because...it's Midoriya. He's our friend, right?"

His words wrenched every drop of guilt from Uraraka's heart as she came to the same realization as Bakugou from earlier. "Ah," she sighed, "So you do know."

"It doesn't matter to me," Todoroki insisted, "Just...come with us."

" _Now_ who's getting desperate?" Bakugou walked up to them and stole Uraraka's hand from Todoroki.

Uraraka willingly shifted her allegiance, though done so with the most pained smile she'd ever made. "I really am sorry," she told Todoroki, "But my parents...they're waiting for my call tonight."

Bakugou guided her out with a whisk of his hand, remembering to throw Todoroki a triumphant smirk over his shoulder that bragged, 'I told you so.'

It was when the pair vanished around the corner that Todoroki breathed out his defeat, "Damn…" He really tried, too. After gathering himself, he walked into the common room donning the same stoic expression he always wore, though he almost lost hold of the mask when Midoriya eagerly approached him and said, "Todoroki! Not sure if you heard, but we're all going out for some barbecue. You should come, it'll be fun!"

Todoroki held himself. "Yeah. I'll go." Though Midoriya wouldn't say it, Todoroki knew the disappointment the boy hid at not having a certain bouncy-haired brunette tag along for the hangout.

Kirishima came up to them next, his head whipping from side to side in search of something. "Hey, where'd Bakugou run off to?" he asked, "You were with him last, right, Todoroki?"

Another wave struck, aiming to viciously pry Todoroki's already shaking fingers from his composed facade. "He…" Again, he was never any good at thinking of lies on the spot. "...Told me I was annoying him and to stay out of his way. Then he said he was going to bed and not to let anyone bother him." But he'd learn to get better.

"Oh, is that so?" Kirishima looked bewildered but also pleased. "Look at you! Promoted from scumbag second rival to butler. I'm happy for you."

Todoroki pursed his lips at him. "Thanks," he muttered mockingly, "I'm so honored."

...Damn. Just what had he gotten himself into?

.

.

"Geez," Bakugou groaned, "When you said you had to call your parents, I didn't think you actually _meant_ it." He shifted an evil eye to Uraraka, rubbing his head against her giant fluffy pillows and burying his nose in her blanket. Both items and the entire room smelled of her, just as he'd expected. While most people, or at least guys, would think a girl's room smelled like fruits or baked goods for whatever reason, he found that hers smelled mildly of bath soap and some type of plant. Sage? Eucalyptus? Not quite lavender, either. Whatever it was, it calmed his usually frenzied nerves by a significant degree, a discovery he'd keep to himself and probably take with him to the grave.

"Shh!" Uraraka fussed from her small study table, "I'm about to connect to-" A click came from her phone and she immediately squeaked, "Mo-Mommy! Hi! It's me."

Bakugou spared himself another exasperated groan, feeling his eyelids grow heavy as he inhaled more of Uraraka's scent.

"Everything's fine," Uraraka talked on, "Being a senior is pretty fun! Mm...mmhm? Yeah? Oh, right! He, uh, he's…" She peeked over at Bakugou who looked lazily over at her. "He's...glad that you liked it. Huh? How did I- Well, I figured you'd like it anyway so I just told him ahead of time. Ahaha!"

"Oy, pudge-face," Bakugou started with a low growl, "You're talking about me, aren't you?"

"Shh!" Uraraka chided again then went back to her phone. "Mm-hmm. Oh, was that happened with you and Daddy? That's crazy…"

"...Tsk!" Annoyed, Bakugou closed his eyes, shutting out the conversation that may or may not have involved him.

Uraraka only realized she had lost track of time when she finally looked out of the window and noticed the dark blue skies flooding the horizon. 'Oh my gosh, it's already this late?!' Nevertheless, she politely listened to the rest of her mother's story then later concluded, "Anyway, it was great talking to you and Daddy. Call you again when homework lets up, okay? Love you!" She waited to hear, 'Love you too, dear,' before hanging up the phone and walking back to her bed. What greeted her was a sight she never thought she'd see while she still breathed— Bakugou nuzzled deep in her pillows, eyes shut tight with his arms and legs draped over the edge of her twin-sized bed. As quietly as her floors would allow, she knelt down next to him and smiled. 'He actually looks peaceful for once.'

" _Hate to break it to you, Uraraka, but I don't consider you a loss."_

"...You do know that once Deku and I start officially dating, all of this will be over, right?" she repeated the response, her voice a broken whisper. She brushed aside the bangs that hid his eyes, uncovering full black lashes contrasting his much lighter hair. "Even I know that and yet I still came here with you. Isn't it funny how this kind of thing works?" Her fingers trembled. "Mom said she and Dad really liked the fruitcake you...or rather, your parents gave over the holidays. I know I wasn't someone you considered for it since it was originally meant for Deku before he flew off, but-"

"My old crone of a mother suggested it," Bakugou interrupted, startling Uraraka. "She always makes me give that cake to Deku post-Christmas since she assumes he and I are best friends or whatever. Hilarious, right?"

"N-not really," Uraraka gulped as Bakugou began to open his eyes, "You two seem to have been on good terms since after our first year. I like to think you're pretty good friends now."

Bakugou motioned her closer with his finger, cupping her cheek and meeting her lips with his when she leaned in. The kiss lasted a tad longer than he'd anticipated, without tongue, but still completed him all the same. "Took you long enough to finish that call," he said.

"You didn't have to stay here the whole time, you know," Uraraka mused, "You could've just gone back to your room."

"Yeah, but then I'd miss out on this." Bakugou yanked her into the bed with him, her back hitting the soft mattress first. She frowned, a tiny bit disgruntled, but then smiled and relaxed in his arms when he lowered his head for another kiss. It wasn't long before their clothes took turns coming off, tossed carelessly to the floor, stool, and headboard until the two were left with only the skin on their backs.

"What should we do about Todoroki?" Uraraka asked, "He knows, right? About us?"

"Hmm," Bakugou hummed, taking one last, long sip of her nipple before raising his head. "We won't have to worry about him. I made sure of that." He moved to the other nipple and continued with his avid suckling.

Uraraka winced when his teeth caught her bud, biting down teasingly before his tongue flicked over it to remedy her discomfort. Sighing with contentment, she fondly rubbed his head, her mouth falling slightly agape when he devoured more of her teat. "Ah…" she whimpered, "What...did you say to him...exactly? Hmm..."

"Pretty much not to fuck with us or I'd make him regret it," Bakugou snickered, having left her breasts to plant kisses down her stomach.

"...Bakugou, hold on a minute…" Uraraka muttered. 'Is this the last time?' she was supposed to ask next, but the words wouldn't come. Still, Bakugou listened and waited for them despite his heated impatience pressing against her. 'Deku's back. This...this is…' Tears collected in her eyes. 'It's over, isn't it?'

Rather than getting angry or chafed as Uraraka braced herself for, Bakugou instead brushed the fresh droplets from her lashes with his finger. "Tears don't suit you," he told her, "Especially now that Deku's around. You should be smiling more."

Uraraka felt an icy claw grip her heart just as her hand grasped Bakugou's. Looking at it now, why _was_ she so distraught? Because the advent of her and Bakugou's end to their crooked tale was nigh? That couldn't possibly be it. Like Bakugou said, she should be happy if that was the case. "Just what am I to you, Bakugou?" The question escaped her, freezing the lascivious intensity between them. She could feel his glare on her again as she knew she had asked a forbidden thing. Maybe, just maybe, not knowing the answer would have been better...for the both of them.

"You said," Bakugou's voice cut into her woes, "This will all be over once you and Deku start officially dating. Reality check, Uraraka, he might be back but you haven't started shit with him. Not yet anyway so stop feeling bad about him."

'It's not him I'm sad about,' Uraraka heard a tiny voice from inside her say as she nodded in false agreement to Bakugou's advice. "R-right."

"Now, are we going keep talking about that nerd or do you want to continue where we left off?" He stopped at her pelvic area, his lips twisting to a seductive smirk.

Uraraka tucked her fingers in the spaces between Bakugou's own and replied, "Let's continue."


	8. Chapter 8

As temperatures steadily rose, so did the number of U.A. students that shed their blazers and vests. For Uraraka, her usual long black stockings were also traded for a pair of simple black knee-high socks. While she chose them mainly for their ease of escaping the heat, they came with certain other perks she hadn't thought about.

"Ahh...ahh…hah...s-so...good...Bakugou! Please…!" Bakugou had her pinned to the only door leading back inside the building, her right leg dangling over his left elbow. Gods, to think she was actually begging him to finish her while her body was hard at work to have him finish _with_ her. She found that the school roof was a good place to hide from the encroaching summer blaze despite a different kind of heat awaiting her this afternoon, one more scorching than the rays that pierced her disheveled uniform and reddened skin.

Bakugou raised Uraraka's leg higher, balanced himself with his other hand then took half a step forward to hasten his thrusts. He helped himself to a brief taste of her moans before sliding down to her ear to whisper, "Not so loud. Someone might hear." But that was just an excuse. He actually loved it when Uraraka screamed for him, _ached_ for him to the point where she became completely drenched in both of their passions. Mainly hers. "That's right. Keep it down the best you can." He roughly pressed his chest against hers and sank deeper, having to suppress his own excited moan as her insides curled around him.

Uraraka hung her head back but was caught by Bakugou's quick hand before she could hit her crescendo. He was completely inside her now and though it throbbed— how imposing and urgent he'd become, plowing into her with all the zeal that he had— the unbounded pleasure she'd peak to was a promising enough reward that she'd hold out for.

"Ochako," he groaned, roughly kissing and sucking on her swollen lips, "Fuck, I just can't get enough…"

 ** _Ding!_**

 ** _Dong!_**

 ** _Ding!_**

 ** _...Dong!...Ding!..._**

"Hm?" Cementoss pondered aloud as he looked up at the wall clock, "Oh. That brings us to the end of our lesson for today then. Good job, everyone." He closed his textbook and gathered the rest of his things from the podium. "Remember to read up on chapters seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen. You'll be tested on them next week."

Uraraka blinked, a vibrant blush coloring her cheeks as she realized that she had just spent the past hour reliving a sex session with Bakugou instead of focusing on Rescue Legalities Studies like she was supposed to. 'Oh my god,' she internally panicked, 'What was today's lesson on? And what's with these chapters he told us to read?' Seeing as there was no immediate fix for her meltdown, she got up to leave with the rest of her classmates for Hero Combat and Rescue Training, aka gym.

Strangely and much to her bafflement, Midoriya hadn't spoken or mentioned anything about them since his return. Sure, he acted much friendlier with her and even initiated most of their conversations during breaks or after classes… Then again, it didn't help that she swerved from his invitations that involved only the two of them whether it was taking a harmless walk in the park, spending a free weekend in town checking out the new sights he missed, or even something small and simple like grabbing a cup of tea at the nearest café together. It was an unconscious effort on her part at first but must have become an obvious pattern because Aoyama one day asked her during their free period, "Is there a reason you've been avoiding Midoriya?"

Avoiding Midoriya. Her? 'That can't be,' Uraraka repeated this to herself numerous times, giving any insignificant action Midoriya made considerable significance, usually coming to the conclusion that _he_ had chosen to keep their relationship platonic or at the very least, vague. 'I waited for him so he has to be the one to clear it up. I've done my part. Yep! That's it!' And this was how she came to conclude that she'd wait for him some more.

Though, her situation hardly felt stagnant because a certain hard-headed blonde always dragged her back to the reprehensible dance floor whenever the smallest or swiftest of opportunities came. 'This is the last time,' she'd tell herself, 'This is it. No more. We're done after this one.' But each time, in the obscurity of U.A.'s hidden corners, rooms, or nightly shadows, they'd cavort. They could feel their windows growing smaller and the intervals between meetings becoming longer, but both found ways to help each other out when they fell under the mercy of their desires.

...

"Uraraka!" Midoriya's voice rang from the other side of the classroom.

Uraraka hadn't realized she was walking behind Bakugou, their distance much too close as either would have normally liked. What he did next didn't help matters either, Bakugou seeming to have realized this too late when his arm and shoulder pressed against the door, holding it wide open as he stepped aside to clear the way for Uraraka.

Kirishima's eyes widened and Kaminari and Sero's jaws dropped.

"Ho-ho! Being a gentleman, now?" Mineta haughtily chortled, "That's surprisingly unlike you, Bakugou!"

The others joined with, "Whoa, thanks, Bakugou! You're suddenly so kind," or "What's the occasion?" or even better, "Are you repenting for something?"

"Shut the fuck up!" Bakugou angrily barked at them. He knew he'd screwed up, the red tint on his cheeks all too telling of his chagrin.

Then came Midoriya, skidding next to Uraraka and smiling up at him with a jolly, "Thanks Kacchan!"

Bakugou refrained from frowning too disgustedly at his undeserved thanks, grunting, "Are you punks gonna go or not? I'm not your personal doorman!" He knew it was there but averted his gaze to it— Uraraka's apologetic smile as she left his side to walk with Midoriya. Again. He lowered his head, knowing this would be a regular occurrence he had to get used to.

Todoroki, the last to trickle out of the classroom, slammed his hand against the door just as Bakugou was about to shut it on him and said, "Your little act is falling apart. How long do you insist on keeping this up, Bakugou?"

"Tch, _my_ little act?" Bakugou released the door. "Spare me. I hate hypocrites like you!"

...

Todoroki never intended on making a habit of it, but ever since his first accidental rendezvous with Bakugou and Uraraka, he felt as though he was cursed with an innate need to follow them whenever he caught even the faintest whiff of disquiet. The second time he stumbled on them was when they disappeared during free period and he was tasked with looking for them. Be it a wild or educated guess, he found the two in the upstairs refurbished hero technology room, their sweaty and naked bodies barely visible through the careless crack of the door he hid behind. He looked away at first, as any normal person would, revolted by what he was witnessing and even thought about seeking someone with a memory-altering quirk to help him forget his entire involvement with the duo. However, when he heard their moans and scuffles transition to hard and repetitive slapping, his curiosity got the better of him and let the Devil's hand direct his intrusive eyes back to the slim opening.

Tragically, he— Todoroki Shouto— the top phlegmatic student who followed the path of a respectable and promising hero career...had to accept that he was victim to Bakugou's foretelling. 'Maybe I'll just burn my eyes out,' he considered at one point, 'I don't deserve to call myself a dignified human being anymore. Not like this.' But he had no idea the extent of his depravity until Midoriya came precariously close to discovering Bakugou and Uraraka again.

This happened when Midoriya was nonchalantly humming and carrying his homemade bento up the school stairs one afternoon until, fortunately, Todoroki stopped the curly-haired boy just in front of the door that opened to the roof. "Since it's getting hot, everyone thought it'd be fun to eat up here today," Midoriya explained when inquired about his intentions, "They're on their way here now. Do you want to join us, Todoroki? My mom made lots of food just for this occasion."

Midoriya's kind offer rattled something within Todoroki. 'Of course…' He kept his feet firm on the steps as he faintly declined, "That's not a good idea."

"Eh? How come?" asked Midoriya.

'I was so quick to judge myself that I hadn't even considered the possibility of my own vindication.' Todoroki coolly replied with pseudo disappointment, "The roof is closed for repainting. We'll have to come back at another time."

Midoriya looked around and over Todoroki's shoulder. "I don't see any signs. How can you tell?"

This was when Todoroki learned that the lying came easy— when done with noble purpose. "The signs are outside. I just came from there." He started his descent, passively forcing Midoriya back down the stairs. "Let's just head back to Lunch Rush before it gets too crowded."

Midoriya hesitantly nodded. "O-okay. Well, that's unfortunate. Everyone was looking forward to a group potluck on the roof, too."

Todoroki nodded back, a sense of victory and self-satisfaction gripping him as Midoriya turned around and led the rest of the way back.

...

Facing Bakugou now, Todoroki could only mutter, "I have a selfless reason for what I'm doing so don't compare me to you."

"Hah!" Bakugou scoffed, "Keep telling yourself that, Half-and-Half. There's nothing worse than being the village idiot who thinks he's always right."

Todoroki grudgingly took the door as Bakugou departed with a scowl, silence serving as their truce.

.

.

.

.

"Today, we'll focus on team-conducted rescues while fending off a multi-villain attack," Thirteen announced from U.S.J.'s entrance and directed a thumb at the simulation fields below. "While Eraserhead and Ectoplasm will be in charge of evaluating your fighting techniques, I will observe your execution of safety procedures from a distance. So split yourselves in two, Class A— the ten on the left of me will be victims, so you head out first. The ten on the right will be heroes, so you'll head out after twelve minutes have passed. Once we hit the half-hour mark, switch."

Had they still been freshmen, a good chunk of Class A would have panicked at being given so much free reign of where to go and what to do but the years had shaped them well as the first ten automatically dispersed themselves throughout U.S.J. and the remaining ten ventured down the stairs twelve minutes later.

Midoriya jogged over to Uraraka and suggested, "How do you feel about teaming up with me today, Uraraka? I, um, think we could touch on a lot of things." His face suddenly reddened. "Gaaaah! N-n-not in any kind of weird sense of the word, just that I-I…"

Uraraka first looked at him with surprise, then made some sort of choked expression, then smiled and chuckled along, "Sure! I'd love to partner up with you, Deku!"

"Thank you!" Midoriya gratefully shook both of her hands.

Uraraka blushed at the sight of his large, gloved hands over hers, sharing with her his merry warmth. The longer she stared, the deeper the reality hit that, like them, Midoriya had undergone some very noticeable changes; though mostly keeping a lean form, his shoulders were broader, his freckles were barely visible, and his eyes showed an experienced sharpness that she often saw in the pro heroes she interned under. It was apparent he had also done some rigorous training as his calves were nearly as big as Iida's, just not as bulbous. His arms followed close, decorated with muscles that stretched to his angular shoulder blades, to hardened pectorals, and hulky blocks of abs permeating his upgraded battle suit. At least his pure geniality hadn't changed, alleviating the worry Uraraka had that maybe she was treading grounds beyond her league.

If she even still deserved to set a single foot in there…

She must have been staring for too long because Midoriya blushed again and meekly asked, "Is there, um…something on my face?"

"N-no, not at all," Uraraka stammered, having pulled her hands back and now hastily hopping down the long set of stairs, "Come on, Deku! Iida's the victim this round so we have to rescue him along with the others. Fight! Fight!"

"Ye-yeah! Let's do this!" Red-faced and polished with nervous sweat, Midoriya gathered the nerve to leap after Uraraka and scooped her up bridal-style.

"Oh!" Uraraka gasped, immediately turning red.

Midoriya fought back the urge to turn away from her and advised, "Hang on tight. I wouldn't want you to fall." He held her eyes with his but then faltered after realizing what he had just said. "E-ev-even though you can technically float! I know! But still, it's the principle that matters a-and I...you...you know what I mean. I hope."

'His voice sounds deeper, too…' Uraraka felt a painful jolt in her chest but brushed it aside as she wrapped her arms around Midoriya's neck and smiled up at him. "Alright."

Midoriya tightened his grip on her and in a flash of electric teal, they vanished.

Still barely departing from the entrance, Kirishima gave a lackluster smile and mumbled, "They seem to be doing well."

Bakugou, who also saw the whole thing, grumbled back, "Whatever floats your boat. They look pretty damn gross to me."

"Aww," Kirishima lightly gibed, "Are you all grumpy now that your sparring partner is with someone else? You got _me_ back at least! You should be happy!"

Bakugou grimaced. "As if that's the kind of shit I think about. I work just fine on my own."

For once, Kirishima couldn't muster the strength to smile through the sting of that comment. "Hey, I get it, man," he sighed as he trudged behind Bakugou, "It's not just you, y'know."

"What are you blabbering about now?" Bakugou saw Kirishima's mouth open to make reason and briskly walked away. With the rest of Class A so close by, the last thing he needed was for his loose-lipped comrade to start spouting a bunch of nonsense and attract unnecessary attention. "Hurry up! We've got an assignment to do." He launched an explosion towards the floor and took flight, ignoring Kirishima's distant cries.

Irritation clawed at him, rooted in the simple statement: _'It's not just you, y'know.'_

'Tch! Acting like he knows it all. Arrogant little…' Bakugou blanked. Uraraka and Midoriya _would_ come to mind when he thought of that statement and honestly, he thought those two would have gotten together by now but that obviously wasn't the case. They were still the same as they were in their prior years— skittish, stupidly shy, and dancing around each other as though it was some big secret that they were into one another. And just like all those years before, he felt just as sick watching them.

' _You do know that once Deku and I start officially dating, all of this will be over, right?'_

In too perfect a timing, Uraraka's sad smile popped into his head. 'Why does that matter? It's none of my business what she does with Deku or whoever.' But thinking this way only wrenched his heart into further displeasure. He felt heavy, tired, cranky, and all sorts of other things that did not at all run along the lines of 'content' or 'happy.' But when he really focused on either of those two words, memories of waking up in his bed and rolling over to a sleeping Uraraka next to him always replayed. He'd recall the secret pecks he placed atop her head and on her soft cheek, how he embraced her with untold desperation, how he restlessly sought her warmth, and the deep, passionate kisses they shared when emotions ran high or he just felt the need to hold her at a moment's notice. But now it was time to face the all too real actuality that...

They would all disappear soon.

"Bakugou!" Kirishima continued to yell despite the gap between them, "Hey! Get up! You're falling!"

When the smoke parted, flat and clean cement had already turned into jagged rocks and dirt below. 'Shit!' Bakugou slapped his palms down, hitting a rough incline with his quirk just before his shoulder could make contact with it. He flipped upwards, climbing higher and higher, trembling and cursing through the heat and musky scent of detonated nitroglycerin until he saw a speck of light. 'There!' With one last blast aimed towards the ceiling, he rocketed down, landing at the highest point of the mountain zone and taking out an Ectoplasm clone in the process. Conveniently enough, he found Koda halfway buried in soft dirt, pale and shivering as he stared at Bakugou's boot that was planted just a couple of inches away from his face. "You can get out, can't you?" Bakugou impatiently huffed.

"Y-y-yeah, bu-but…" Koda shook.

"Then do that." Bakugou didn't wait to make sure the animal whisperer had actually done as he was told, instead trudging to an empty spot on the ground and sitting in it with legs crossed in a meditative position. 'Damn! Why the hell am I thinking about trivial things when I'm supposed to be focused on hero training?!'

' _It's not just you, y'know.'_

Kirishima's voice still echoed in his mind, haunting any space that left room for nonsensical thoughts. Bakugou was no fool. He knew exactly what Kirishima meant. But what was he supposed to do? _Act_ on it like this was some scripted romantic drama that already wrote his ending out for him? Only a happy-go-lucky idiot with zero ambition would readily accept that kind of fate.

"Deku! Not that way! Over there is-"

'My lucky day.' Tongue flicking over twisted lips, Bakugou peeked over the rocks behind him and found Uraraka cornered on a ledge by a single Ectoplasm clone just a couple of meters below him. It seemed Midoriya had been separated from her with three other clones keeping him busy.

...

"Uraraka!" Midoriya shouted but was kicked back by a clone's heavy metallic leg, distancing him even more.

"Deku! Ugh!" Uraraka managed to successfully block a kick with her arm, wincing at the impact. It was no use. Trying to regroup would only prove deleterious to their strategy at this point and Iida, who they happened to find crouched behind a giant rock feigning helpless victim tears, was still in danger of getting hurt in the skirmish.

"Help me, hero!" Iida loudly sobbed, "But don't forget the proper procedures to ensure my safety!"

Gritting her teeth, Uraraka shoved the clone aside, applied Zero Gravity on herself, and used its head as a springboard to become airborne.

...

Bakugou's hand twitched. Who was he to intervene? He wasn't Uraraka's partner anymore. No, that position went to Midoriya now so he had to just let it be.

…

"Running away, eh?" the Ectoplasm clone jeered at Uraraka, "You'll have to face your obstacles head on to get anywhere, Uravity."

"I'm not running away from anything!" Uraraka flung herself back, floating to the safety of another ledge. She was able to tap some large rocks from there and carried them with her as she leaped towards the clone. "Hyaaah!" she cried and released her quirk as she brought the rocks down in a pincer attack, eliminating the clone but also dropping herself in the process.

Midoriya punched and kicked the hardest he could but like a hydra, every one clone he destroyed seemed to sprout three more. Before he knew it, he was already fending off nine of them. 'The original must be nearby,' he deduced, 'Either that or Ectoplasm already anticipated the strength of my quirk and dedicated a large number of his clones to come after me.' A falling pink dot caught his eye and as he attempted to leap to it, a clone interceded, knocking him to the ground and disappearing with three more taking its place. "Damn it!" he spat, "Uraraka! Float! You have to save yourself!"

What Midoriya didn't know was that Uraraka was already working on that but to her horror, her quirk would not activate. "What?!" she cried, "Why isn't it working?!" She tried again and again and again, the ground growing more visible with each passing second. Heart thumping wildly in her chest, she searched the area for something to grab onto; a stray branch, another ledge, anything!

"Uraraka!" Midoriya hollered again.

Uraraka looked down, now able to make out the details of solid earth, rocks, and branches approaching her and braced herself.

 ** _KABOOM!_**

A large explosion detonated from atop the mountain zone and from it a flash of bright red-orange and black zoomed towards the pink dot. "What the-" Midoriya gawked.

Kirishima, who just crossed the border into the mountain zone, looked up and cheered, "Yeah! Go get 'em! I've got Midoriya!" He hardened his arms and torso and sprinted into the fray.

"Kirishima!" Midoriya roundhouse kicked another clone out of existence. "You're here, too?"

"And ready to rumble!" Kirishima wound up his arms, hardened them another level, then unleashed a barrage of punches on the clones, taking almost all of them out instantly. The ones that endured his hits bounced back relatively quick but were just as swiftly detained then eliminated by Midoriya. Kirishima smiled at him. "Thanks!"

"I should be thanking _you_ ," Midoriya smiled back and turned to where Bakugou and Uraraka were. "Let's go! We have to help Kacchan and-" Kirishima's hand stopped him.

"Um, I know you've been gone a while so you probably don't know… But you should just stand back and watch this."

"What? Why?"

"Those two have been working on something awesome. You'll see."

...

'Eh?' Uraraka opened her eyes after being caught in a pair of hulky arms, their dominant scent of nitroglycerin invading her nose. "Bakugou!" she squeaked as he landed on another hilly pile of dirt and put her down. "What are you-"

"I swear, if you ask me what I'm doing right now I'm going to personally print you an 'IDIOT' sticker and smack it on your forehead every day for the rest of your life," Bakugou snapped, "Focus! Eraserhead is obviously just within the vicinity and we both know he's no pushover."

"I'm actually a lot closer than you think."

Bakugou quickly swept Uraraka behind him and raised his arm to obstruct Aizawa's incoming scarf. Aizawa proudly smirked, "I was wondering why you two didn't partner up this time. In case you forgot, we still have a long way to go for your synchronized attack formation."

Though Aizawa had his goggles on, Bakugou didn't bother guessing whether his own quirk was erased or not. "Take it away, Uraraka," he instructed.

"Leave it to me!" Uraraka confirmed, taking the rebellious scarf as Bakugou gave her his arm.

Aizawa launched a forward assault but was promptly blocked by a left back kick from Bakugou. While their instructor was distracted, Uraraka pulled a pocket knife from her utility belt and tucked its blade under the scarf. With a strained cry, she yanked the material enough apart to set Bakugou's arm free and like a war beast dressed in broken chains, he jumped at Aizawa fist first. "Your fancy clothes don't scare me, Eraser!" he roared.

"Good," Aizawa replied, effortlessly brushing aside three consecutive punches before jabbing four straight fingers into Bakugou's gut, "I don't expect them to."

Bakugou didn't waver and instead shoved Aizawa's hand away to transition into another left kick. Aizawa moved to block it but quickly realized this was a feint as Uraraka emerged from behind, palm up and aimed right at him. Whether he chose to erase her quirk or not would be irrelevant at this distance as she was fearsome even in hand-to-hand combat. Choosing the lesser of two evils, he activated Erasure on her and just as he expected, her fingers immediately closed their gaps and landed two sharp chops on his right upper arm and shoulder.

"Huraaahhh!" Uraraka briskly closed the distance between them, utilizing a splitting block to throw off Aizawa's punching combos. So he opted to use his legs, aiming a right downwards kick at her. She bent both knees and ducked, letting Bakugou roll over her back to block the kick with crossed forearms then swinging his legs to a spinning kick that hit its mark on Aizawa's face.

Unable to help human reflex, Aizawa flinched and Bakugou took this opportunity to throw a glowing palm at him. "Got you now!"

Aizawa glared straight at the blonde, shutting down the glow. "Thought I fixed that cocky attitude of yours," he remarked, somewhat amused. He unraveled his scarf and threw the layers over Bakugou, winding them around the boy's shoulders and chest until he was completely immobilized.

"Tch!" It was Bakugou's turn to smirk. "If anyone is cocky here, it's you."

"Beg your pardon?" Aizawa's glare hardened.

"Now, Uraraka!" Bakugou grabbed the scarf and yanked it towards himself with Aizawa trailing not too far along. Then, he jumped, kicking Aizawa's goggles off and opening the way for Uraraka who had applied Zero Gravity on herself and was now rapidly closing in on Aizawa with two wide-open palms.

"I'm telling you, that won't work!" Aizawa stopped himself with an angled foot, took a tight grip on both ends of his scarf, and redirected his glare at Uraraka.

Uraraka jubilantly smiled, "Just kidding!"

"What?" Aizawa frowned.

As Bakugou descended, Uraraka dug her hands into the ground and threw dry dirt up at Aizawa's exposed face. She felt terrible for pulling a fast one on their teacher but knew that in a real life-or-death fight, there would be no such things as cheap tactics.

With Bakugou's returned weight pulling him forward, Aizawa had no time to avoid their trap, grunting in pain as the gravel and dust entered his eyes. Within a millisecond, he was forced to close them, making sure to take a defensive stance as he knew what would follow his mistake. First were two quick strikes against his shoulder of what he could only discern were Uraraka's heels and her fingertips landing on his upper back. Then something hot approached, looming closer and closer until he could have sworn it was right in front of him, just beyond the crossed arms that shielded his face.

 ** _Craaaack… BOOM! POW!_**

It was deafening but, again, expected as Aizawa let his weightlessness carry him and his tattered scarf off the mountain zone. "Hmph." He smiled, satisfied with the results, then flipped right side up by wrapping the remainder of his scarf around a stray boulder. "Alright, let me down, Uraraka. I'll admit this is checkmate."

"Not yet!" Uraraka yelped and moon jumped over to where Iida was.

Bakugou watched as she plucked the much taller and bulkier boy from behind the rock then proceeded to float him and herself down to where Midoriya and Kirishima were.

After having been released from Uraraka's quirk, Iida ran in the other direction to regroup with the rest of their found classmates. "Thank you!" he cried while waving his hand, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, heroes!"

"Pffft…" Uraraka snorted, "Iida's taking his role as seriously as ever. Hahaha!"

Kirishima smiled and nudged her side. "You like that about him though."

Uraraka playfully smacked his hand away. "It's funny!"

Bakugou clenched his fists. Seeing her, standing between those two, smiling and laughing away as she casually bumped shoulders with them, made him feel... _blegh_ inside, like someone just force-fed him a whole jar of umeboshi then gave him prune juice to wash it all down with.

Aizawa landed safely back on the ground, having to lean on his own knees as he forced his reddened eyes open. "Damn…" he grunted, "It really got in there this time."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Aizawa!" Uraraka wailed as she ran up to him, "I went too far, didn't I? I shouldn't have-"

"It's fine," Aizawa waved to silent her, "You did what you were supposed to do in order to stop me. This is nothing. Just...ugh...it's really annoying...not being able to see."

His statement did little to alleviate Uraraka's guilt as she quietly nodded and mumbled, "Sorry…"

"Oy, are you deaf?" Bakugou rebuked, "He already said not to apologize! Besides, there's nothing you should be sorry for. This is our third and last year so the teachers are obviously going to push us beyond our limits, expecting everything plus more."

"Plus ultra," Kirishima chimed in with a wink and received a pebble to the head for it.

"This isn't the time to be standing around doing nothing," said Aizawa, "I can take care of myself. The rest of you need to see this assignment through so get a move on!"

"Yes, sir!" Uraraka, Midoriya, and Kirishima simultaneously bowed and left the mountain zone to find more 'victims' in need of help.

Bakugou shrugged in a manner that conveyed, 'You don't have to tell me twice' and hopped from rock to rock until he reached the bottom to run ahead of the others.

"That was so cool, Uraraka!" he heard Midoriya compliment the gravity manipulator, "Since when did you and Kacchan learn to do a synchronized formation like that? Actually, now I sort of remember Mr. Aizawa mentioning he wanted to work with you guys on something just before I left but...wow! That was quite a surprise!"

"You think so?" Uraraka began to gain on Bakugou's heel. "I'm glad you guys think we did well."

"Right?!" Kirishima exclaimed, "All those times getting your butts handed to you by Mr. Aizawa really made the results all the more worth it eh, Bakugou?"

"Shut up," Bakugou deadpanned.

Midoriya's smile visibly fell. "Times?" He turned to Uraraka. "You trained together often? Just you and Kacchan?"

Uraraka felt her vision darken and blur as the anxious heat rose to her head. Nausea spun in her stomach, rendering her tongue useless as she tried to shape enough words for a legitimate reason. "Th-that is, we uh…w-we…" she bumbled.

"No shit we trained often," Bakugou answered for her, blind to the trio's surprised gazes as he continued to run with his back to them. "Something like that isn't an overnight result! I thought you'd figure out at least that much on your own, Deku."

"We-well, yeah, it's just…" Midoriya heaved a sigh. "Never mind, you're right. That was a dumb question."

"Incoming!" Kirishima announced.

A titanian silhouette shrouded the group and they looked up to find a giant Ectoplasm head opening his mouth for a terrifying bite. "Concentrated superpower groups…" his voice rumbled, "Are strictly forbidden!" His jaws closed, bringing his large teeth down to cut into the center of the four.

"Gaaahhh!" Midoriya and Kirishima flew off one way while Bakugou jumped in front of Uraraka, accidentally tripping over her and throwing them another way. Scrambling to make a quick escape, Uraraka activated Zero Gravity on Bakugou as he caught her and shot them north towards the ruins zone. They then watched as Ectoplasm turned his head the other way, presumably to confront Midoriya and Kirishima as clouds of dust and emerald flashes followed.

...

"Fuck!" Bakugou spat as they made a rolling landing atop a dilapidated building. He covered Uraraka's head with his hand, wincing as his knuckles and shoulders scraped against the hard cement. One of his gauntlets popped and the broken pieces scattered across the floor. Still, he held Uraraka tight against his body, shielding her from the debris that flew in his wake. It was only when they came to a full stop that he slowly let up, unveiling her from her protective cocoon.

"Sorry," Uraraka hiccuped, hiding her mouth, "I couldn't…take much more..."

Bakugou glared at her. "You know, for a quirk as strong as yours, it really sucks that your drawback is feeling sick to your stomach. It doesn't help that you're prone to motion sickness, either."

"Not like I can help it…" Uraraka pouted.

Bakugou lifted his head to survey the area. Finding no clones or a newly recovered Aizawa around, he helped Uraraka up and tugged on her cuff. "Let's get going. We shouldn't linger in one area for too long."

Uraraka nodded and asked, "Do you think there are some people that need rescuing here, too?"

"Wouldn't hurt to check," Bakugou shrugged.

They treaded cautiously down the rusty stairs, the creaks and groans of the metal rails they held echoing throughout the abandoned structure. Luckily for them, Uraraka kept a mini-flashlight handy in her utility belt so they could still navigate through the dark hallways. She flashed the light on the next flight of stairs they were supposed to take but sighed, "It's completely blocked by rubble."

Bakugou looked to the cracked windows. "Another building is blocking the way out through here. If I force an exit, we might get crushed. Or worse, crush some others if they didn't know what was coming."

"So...the long way then?"

"The long way."

They proceeded down the hall, a taut silence hanging over them like the artificial cobwebs that decorated the ceiling. At least Uraraka hoped they were artificial. They eventually stumbled upon a decrepit lounge area complete with broken chairs and tables and sad potted plants that sat in all four corners of the spacious room. The only prop that threw off the atmosphere was the uncannily clean carpet flooring, fluffy, white, and pleasant as could be.

"Take a breather here," Bakugou instructed, "I'll keep watch until you get your strength back."

"What?" Uraraka turned the light on him. "But I'm fine! I can keep going."

"You're nauseated and dizzy."

"Am not!"

Bakugou snatched the flashlight from her hand and reflected its brightness back on her, making her flinch away. "Your breathing's been heavy and you've been constantly bumping into me despite having enough light to see where you're going. Which, by the way, is getting pretty annoying so quit being a stubborn pain in the ass and sit down!"

Sighing, Uraraka fell where she stood, heels tucked uncomfortably under her butt. "Fine…" she whined, "But only until my stomach's steady."

Bakugou rolled his eyes and switched off the light. "That's all the rest you'll need." As promised, he stood a little in front of Uraraka, facing the only other entry and exit point they hadn't explored yet. As the minutes passed, he could feel his pores tingling and a vexing imaginary breeze tickling the back of his neck but none of these were odd to him— he was already familiar with the annoying feeling called _'awkward.'_

"So," he attempted to loosen the knot in his throat, "When…" This question had been such a bother to him since a little after Midoriya got back and _still_ he couldn't bring himself to properly ask it.

Uraraka tilted her head up at him. "When...what?"

"When are you and Midoriya...you know…" Bakugou rubbed his neck, scowling even more at his current ineptitude to finish the simple question.

"I don't understand," Uraraka muttered.

"Argh! When are you two gonna- Fuck. No! I mean… Ugh, like, go out and shit. Not...the other things."

"Oh…" Uraraka looked down at her hands, twiddling one thumb over the other. "Um, why the sudden interest?"

Bakugou held in a sigh and walked back to where she sat, paused, then squatted to eye-level with her. "Really, sudden interest," he said, "After you've been fucking around with me because you were _so_ curious and wanted to get some experience in or whatever so you wouldn't act like some clumsy greenhorn-"

"Hey!" Uraraka protested, "That's totally uncalled for!"

"Anyway, I'm asking because the whole damn country knows Deku's back and certain... _expectations_ still haven't been met." 'What are you doing?'

"...Expectations?" Uraraka frowned in confusion.

"Shouldn't you two be running off into the sunset with a 'Happily Married' sign hanging behind you by now?" Bakugou scoffed.

Uraraka averted Bakugou's eyes with a frown. "Geez, you're kind of jumping the gun there, don't you think?"

"I don't know, am I?" Bakugou countered.

Uraraka balked. He wasn't completely wrong. From an outside perspective, the situation with her and Midoriya would be considered strange. Maybe even pitiful.

"Uraraka."

Her name sounded cold in Bakugou's voice that time, bringing her guilt-stricken eyes to meet his in some woeful attempt at asking wordless amnesty.

"Why have you been running away?" Though deeper and carrying more gravity than anything they'd talked about prior, Bakugou found this question surprisingly easy to ask. Perhaps, unlike the one he asked before, he actually wanted to know her answer. Perhaps, in her answer, he could finally determine his resolve for his own jumbled feelings. 'Can't you see that you're still dragging me along? What are you trying to accomplish?'

Uraraka's lips quivered. "I...I'm not trying to run away," she choked, "Deku...I'm still waiting for him. He hasn't...made anything clear yet. It's still too vague. It wouldn't be right if we suddenly-"

"Cut the bullshit!" Bakugou clamored, "Our classroom isn't exactly huge. I _know_ you've been refusing Deku's invites and avoiding being alone with him!" He could tell his words tore not only her. 'I hate that I keep coming back to you!' But him as well. "What the fuck are you even doing anymore, huh?" 'Stop me, damn it... Just stop me already!'

"Me?" Uraraka's devastation fell to acrimony. "You're just as in this as I am! Not once...not _once_ did you refuse me when I came to you. And all those times when we…"

"Don't."

Uraraka glanced to her side. "It's all just senseless sex, is that it?"

"When was it ever anything more?" Bakugou forced the venom out of his fangs, nearly choking at the pain it wrought on his throat.

"...It's...a little bit different…I think." Uraraka seemed to shrink as she spoke. "Is it wrong of me to think this way?"

"No shit it's wrong," Bakugou's voice quieted down a tad, "We-"

"We were friends first!" Uraraka argued, "Doing this kind of thing, I care a lot more than I should for it because of that. I care, Bakugou, because...it's you I'm doing it with! Didn't any of our time mean anything to you? Why am I the only one hurting like this?!"

"Damn it, Uraraka, I said don't!"

"Why, Bakugou?!"

Bakugou reached forward and caught her face. "Remember what we agreed on," he hissed, pressing his forehead to hers, the tips of their noses touching. "You might be confused but I'm not. I let you have your way because I'm fulfilling _my_ end of the bargain! I'm not the bad guy here! Hell, we're not even the ones that are supposed to be fucking dating and you know that. So get your shit together and make a decision already! Fuck!"

Blinded by the gloom and sting of her own tears, Uraraka acted on impulse and pulled Bakugou in, smashing her lips against his in an anguished plea for her salvation. At first, he was stunned, paralyzed, but then relented, fiercely pushing his tongue in her mouth and pinning her down on the carpeted floor. Her hips ground against his and their chests flattened one another out as their kiss deepened, turning more frenzied and desperate with every clash of their teeth. His hand easily found and pulled down on the zipper to unclothe her battle suit while her hands undid his utility belt and button of his pants.

"Bakugou, I…I-I…" Uraraka sniffled, curving her back as Bakugou uncovered her chest and pushed her bra up over both breasts.

"Again..." Bakugou dragged the rest of her suit down to her waist, then further past her legs. "Don't." His hand burned as it traveled over her body, as though he himself knew that he was no longer the right person to be doing this with her. 'Damn it, Deku.' He slipped her underwear down following her suit, her moans rising as he slowly filled her. Once more, his body burned. 'Promise me, you fucker...' Enduring the heat, he wrapped his arms around Uraraka's lithe body and took her to their forbidden dance. 'When the time comes, you'd better take care of her.'

Uraraka wrapped her thighs around his waist, pushing him deeper inside of her. "Bakugou…"

'Don't,' Bakugou wanted so much to tell her again to keep himself from falling apart but chose to lose some pieces of himself as she wept into his shoulder, the deepening cracks crumbling more of him away when he then planted a kiss on her temple to soothe her tears. He noticed the growing darkness and glanced at the single window behind them.

There, on the grungy sill and glass, the foggy frost crept.

.

.

Class A stood around Thirteen near the entrance, their murmurs growing at the wonder of some of their classmates' whereabouts. Thirteen looked up from their list and asked again, "Has anyone seen the following students: Todoroki Shouto, Bakugou Katsuki, and Uraraka Ochako? Since the second half of your exercise has been canceled due to Eraserhead's...erm, circumstance, they need to be alerted to the changes right away."

"My apologies," said Ectoplasm as he walked towards Thirteen, "I should have kept a closer eye on the students. I got too carried away with the mock battle."

"Ah, don't blame yourself," Thirteen sighed, "It couldn't be helped that we were short two eyes midway through. Given enough time, I'm sure they'll pop up soon."

"You were with him, weren't you?" Jiro asked a worried Yaoyorozu, "Did you see where he ran off to?"

Yaoyorozu shook her head. "I was trying my hardest to keep up with Todoroki at the start but after that explosion happened, he suddenly darted off on his own."

Kaminari scratched his chin. "I could barely see since I was playing victim near the conflagration zone, but I think I saw Uraraka helping Bakugou into the air after the giant head bit down and all the crazy stuff happened."

"Do you think they stuck together though?" Midoriya pondered.

"We shouldn't worry so much," Kirishima assured his friends, "I'm a hundred percent sure they're okay. Who knows? Todoroki might be with them and they'll all come up those stairs together."

"I'm not so much worried about Kacchan or Todoroki being okay," Midoriya clarified, "Uraraka… I was supposed to be her partner but I lost her just because of a minor obstacle. I feel terrible."

"Minor?" Asui's eyes lit up in slight surprise. "Tokoyami and I have fought that form of Ectoplasm before and had a hard time with it. There's nothing minor about what you and Kirishima accomplished-ribbit, so you shouldn't be too hard on yourself."

Midoriya managed a small grin and humbly replied, "I guess you have a point. Thank you."

Though he still held his stony smile, Kirishima was frowning at himself inside. 'Just when I had enough guts to finally do it, too. No… If I'm as much of a man as I pride myself to be, I have to tell Midoriya. It can't keep being like this.' He coughed into his hand, "Uh, Midoriya, there's something I've been meaning to-"

"Oh! There! Coming up the stairs!" came Mina's enthusiastic outbursts, "It's Todoroki!"

With her acting as town herald, Todoroki scaled the steps with the grace of a glowing royal, landing in a sparkling bed of ice and flurries. 'Pretty…' Class A couldn't help but think to themselves as he emerged from the silver mist.

Yaoyorozu walked up to him and asked, "Sorry, Todoroki, I lost sight of you a third of the way into the assignment. Are you alright?"

When Todoroki turned, he nearly slapped himself upon finding that for the first time ever, his eyes landed not on Yaoyorozu's face first but on her ample chest, taking a memory shot of the tightly-pressed cleavage between her arms. Flashbacks of Bakugou and Uraraka's misdoings immediately assaulted him and he jumped back, slipping on the ice he had so gracefully landed on before and falling flat on his behind. No "Ow" or "Yow" or even All Might's famous "Shit." He just proceeded to stare silently up at her, mouth hung open and wide-eyed like a child who was just caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.

The rest of the class stared at him, speechless and confused, both expressions more evident on Yaoyorozu's face than anyone else's. "Todoroki?" she gasped and held a hand out to him, "That was quite the fall. Do you need help?"

Todoroki slid back. "That's alright, I've got it," he muttered while standing up and brushing himself off.

Thirteen walked up to the dual quirk user next and inquired, "You came back on your own? Did you see Bakugou or Uraraka on your way back here?"

'Noble purpose,' Todoroki reminded himself as he answered stoically, "They're the ones who 'rescued' me from the ruins zone. I hid too well in one of the buildings and the room collapsed when Bakugou tried getting me out so...they're still on their way back now. Actually, they shouldn't be too far off." Gripping blind faith like a mantra, he pointed behind him, nearly exhaling a relieved breath at seeing Bakugou and Uraraka coming up the stairs, one a couple of steps behind the other.

Thirteen jotted down their notes. "Hm, I'll need to go over securing foundation sites and safety with Bakugou again. But other than that, good job on the successful rescue, you two!"

"Bite me," Bakugou grumbled to himself, feeling his pride swell at the sound of Uraraka giggling softly at his remark.

"Thank goodness!" Midoriya gave his chest a pat or two and looked back at Kirishima. "It was just as you said and all three of them are okay. How do you have so much belief in people?"

Kirishima shrugged, "Instinct." His smile gradually grew scarce as he watched Bakugou bark something at Uraraka and she blushed and smacked him on the back for it. He must have gotten angry or flustered because he barked again and this time, she laughed and they exchanged a couple more words before becoming surrounded by their peers. Kirishima sighed to himself, "No hard feelings right, Bakugou?"

"I could probably use some of that 'instinct,' huh?" Midoriya, who failed to hear Kirishima's mutterings, laughed and turned towards the stairs. "Hang on, I'm going to see if Uraraka's okay-" As he took his first step to leave, a firm hold on his shoulder stopped him. Puzzled, he followed the hand back to Kirishima and asked, "What's up, Kirishima?"

Kirishima waited until the rest of class was far enough from them before murmuring, "Listen, Midoriya. I've been meaning to talk to you. It's about…Uraraka."

Midoriya turned his full attention on the redhead. "Um, sure. I'm listening." He noticed the somber look on Kirishima's face and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I don't want you to feel offended or to hate me because of what I'm about to say…no, ask…both, really. It's because, as your friend, I want to be honest with you and I don't know how long I can keep torturing myself before all these feelings eat me up alive." Kirishima took a deep breath, raised his head, and held a steady gaze as he declared, "Midoriya, I… I like Uraraka."


	9. Chapter 9

Midoriya fidgeted beside himself as he watched Uraraka accommodate the last two customers in her line. The day always passed so quickly for him when he trained, even more so when All Might was involved. One minute he was panting and hauling heavy trash to and fro, running his aching feet through the blistering sands, and the next, he was staring up at the cardinal sky, screaming and panicking over the 4:30 P.M. reading that glowed from his digital wristwatch. Luckily, the sprint from the beach to this particular bakery wasn't too bad compared to the rigorous warm-ups All Might put him through. But now, his grey shirt stuck to his sweaty torso and his black mesh shorts still had sandy residue on them so he hadn't yet summoned the nerve to go inside the shop to greet Uraraka and was instead lurking outside like a button-eyed stalker and unknowingly putting off would-be customers from heading inside.

"Thank you and have a good evening!" he could hear her sprightly tone drift from within, "We look forward to your next visit!"

'She's so cute…' The thought colored his cheeks until he saw a stout older woman walk out from the back and talk to Uraraka. It looked like a pleasant conversation from where he was standing. Anxiousness playing on his nerves, he waited, waited, and waited… 'Oh! She's taking off her apron! Her shift's done!' Heart pounding madly against his chest, he backpedaled from the glass door and hid a small but vibrant bouquet of sunflowers behind his back.

" _Why the hell would you get sunflowers? It's supposed to be a casual bump-in, you moron!"_

The bakery door jingled open as Uraraka stepped outside and waved to her manager, "Thank you! Good luck with everything!" She had a bag full of baked extras in her hand again and just as she was about to eagerly open it to take the first treat, she almost dropped everything in one beat of her step. "Deku?!"

Midoriya felt a deep crack run through his stony body. "Y-y-ye-yes!" he affirmed with a squeak, "It's me!"

Uraraka hid her work uniform under the light jacket she wore, suddenly conscious about her appearance. "What…wh-what are you doing here?!" she squeaked back. She would have been lying if she said she wasn't expecting to bump into a certain other someone that occasionally dropped by her work whenever he felt like it.

" _You'd better not tell anyone— especially her— that I'm part of your little pity mission or I swear, I'm going to fuck you up so bad you'll wish you were dead."_

"I, err, heard from uh…" Midoriya continued to stutter then blurted the one safe name that came to mind, hoping it would save him— "Tsuyu!" Time stilled, his breath stilled, and the streets fell to a hush as he awaited her answer.

To his relief, Uraraka revealed a smile and replied, "Ah, is that so? Of course, that makes sense!"

'Phew, that was close!' Midoriya mentally gave himself a pat on the back. 'Okay, now uh, what did Kacchan say… Oh! Right! Her favorite café to stop by at after her shifts! I've got to make it seem coincidental though so she doesn't get suspicious. Now, if I can just remember where it was-'

"So was there something you wanted to buy from the bakery?" Uraraka unintentionally fuddled his thoughts.

'Gaaaah! She's on to me! Okay, Izuku, don't panic. You've got this. Just stay calm and remember what Kacchan told you.' Midoriya recalled the bouquet he had behind him and gingerly brought it to the front, catching Uraraka by surprise. "I, um, I'm actually here…t-to see you, Uraraka." His cheeks instantly turned hot and he felt all sorts of dizzy as his brain screamed, 'Gaaaaah! I can't believe I just said that so boldly!'

Eyes wide with disbelief, Uraraka shyly accepted the bouquet and uttered, "Wow, Deku, thank you! This is so nice of you…" While expressing her appreciation on the outside, her internal monologue flew into a frenzy of, 'Oh my god, is this it? Is he finally going to tell me his answer? Oh gosh, I had no idea I was _this_ unprepared for it! What do I do? _What do I do?!_ '

"S-so you must be, uh, tired after your shift just now, right?" Midoriya stammered.

Uraraka hid behind the flowers. "...A-actually, I'm feeling pretty oka-"

"Great! Let's walk over in _that_ inconspicuous direction!" Midoriya exclaimed and pointed down the street where he assumed the café to be. "There must be _plenty_ of places to relax at. Maybe something like oh, I don't know, a café of some sort?" He began to lead the way.

"Ah, wait, Deku!" Uraraka hurried after him, "That street isn't-"

Midoriya would have continued to approach the next corner if it weren't for a trash bin suddenly flying out from the alleyway he just passed and landing in front of him, stopping him dead in his tracks. "Eeeeek!" he held his cry.

"Eeeeek!" Uraraka let out hers, "What was that?! Are you okay, Deku?!"

"I-I-I do-don't know!" Midoriya glanced at the empty shadows beside him. 'My imagination?'

"A-a cat must have jumped off and knocked the trash down," Uraraka surmised, "That really shocked me."

Midoriya gave an uncertain nod. "M-maybe..."

"Anyway…" Uraraka nervously beckoned him back, "If you want to go relax at a café, there's this really good one I know that's just up the street. The other way."

'Oh.' Midoriya quickly turned himself around and scuttled to the direction Uraraka was pointing to. "Lead the way then!"

Uraraka hovered a hand over her lips and laughed, "Alright."

As soon as the two were off and along, a hooded figure stepped out from the alleyway, his ash-blonde bangs peeking out from under the red cap he wore with his disguise. Matching red eyes burned ferociously behind his dark-grey shades as he kicked the trash bin back to its rightful position. "He's an idiot alright," he muttered to himself, "Can't even follow simple directions to one goddamn building."

.

.

.

.

 _Earlier that day…_

Alone in the commons after having just finished his morning jog, Midoriya listlessly stirred his tepid cup of green tea.

" _Though I'm not sure what kind of relationship you two have, it sat better with me to tell you that I want to pursue Uraraka fairly. Especially since I know I can give her what she deserves and so much more. If she ever wants it, that is. Eh-heh… Sorry, I'm being super cheesy right now, aren't I?"_

Kirishima's words struck a heavy _thump_ against Midoriya's chest. "Uraraka and I…" He bit his lip. It wasn't like he forgot about what transpired between them before they entered their third year. He said he'd give her an answer when he got back... So what _had_ he been doing this whole time?

" _I plan on asking her out so please, Midoriya, I don't want you to think badly of me."_

"How can I think anything like that about you, Kirishima?" he muttered to the empty room, "You already knew what you wanted to do and decided to follow it through with confidence. Compared to you, I'm…well, I'm…"

...

All Might and Bakugou always pointed this out about him— how he doubted himself too much when it came to the simplest things, to the point of almost stunting One for All's growth. He hadn't even realized he could hit near forty percent of his power by the time their second year rolled around, keeping to his conservative ways of fighting until Bakugou forced him out of it during a triple entente spar at the Todoroki dojo last summer break. The end result was a bloody hurricane, most having come from Bakugou's torn lip, arms, and abdomen, but the explosive quirk wielder smirked with wide, reddened teeth and jeered, "That all you've got, Deku? Quit throwing around pussy-ass kicks and come at me, full power or nothing!"

That was when Todoroki threw a blanket of ice over him, successfully pinning him to the ground, and sighed, "Cool it, Bakugou. I don't plan on spending the whole afternoon cleaning up your bloodstains from the floor." He motioned their house nurse over.

" _You_ cool it, hot-and-cold freak!" Bakugou let out a beastly snarl, frightening the poor young nurse who was about to tend to his wounds. "I'm not done yet! Let me go! Arrrgggh!" He flailed uselessly as the nurse proceeded to dab his cuts with cottoned alcohol. "That stings, damn it!"

Kirishima gulped down an entire bottle of ice-cold water and wiped a towel over his damp brow. "Bakugou's in rage mode again, huh?" he laughed, "Keep your guard up, Midoriya! He gets inexplicably jumpy in this mode."

"You're not joining in, Kirishima?" Todoroki asked.

"Next round," Kirishima replied, taking a seat on the floor. "I'm still sore from the last beating you gave me."

"Arrrgghh, let go I said!" Bakugou howled, only managing to lightly crack the thick layers of ice that held him as the now irritated nurse smacked a bandage over his lip and soaked his stomach with the rest of the alcohol. "Stop that! I don't need that shit! Argh, ow! Fuck!"

Midoriya's hands shook. "Ye-yeah…" he mumbled back to Kirishima, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thanks."

...

Sighing, Midoriya drank down the rest of his tea. 'I was ready, too. I could feel my limit breaking and wanted to see what I could do beyond that. Now I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Todoroki hadn't stopped us-' He guiltily swallowed the remaining bitterness that hung at the back of his tongue. 'Right. I was on a different train of thought there.' He lowered his cup to the wood-pressed table. 'Uraraka; I like talking with her and spending time with her and I think she's fun and really pretty and nice. She was also my first actual friend at U.A. and practically saved my life in the entrance exam…'

Kirishima's confident smile flashed in his mind then Bakugou's sulking frown right after. And just as quickly as they came, both phantoms faded away. 'Compared to Kirishima, I'm a big pile of social nothing. Plus Kacchan-' His brain froze. 'Wait, why did I suddenly think of him?' Like being put on fast rewind, he thought back to the various times he saw Bakugou and Uraraka together— to their effortless engagements in casual talk, their greetings in the hallway that Bakugou always either ignored or scoffed at while Uraraka teased him until he responded, down to their flawless teamwork in their two-on-one fight against the famed and nimble Eraserhead. 'Just how close have those two gotten?' First, he frowned but then quietly laughed at his own musings. 'Knowing Kacchan for as long as I have, I'm sure he doesn't think of what they're doing as anything more than camaraderie. Anyway, I really shouldn't be concerned with him since Kirishima's the one who-' His eyes widened. 'No, wait, that's it! Kacchan!'

As if on cue, Bakugou leisurely stalked into the commons, his hair and neck adorned with fresh dew that took eager turns departing from his person. A small grin played on his lips as he took the towel that hung over his shoulder and ran it over his face and limp spikes. 'Nothing like a cold shower after an intense workout and it's not even eight yet. No distractions, no class, all of my assignments are done… Today's going to be productive!' The rare self-merriment he built up immediately collapsed when he opened his eyes to find Midoriya gawking at him. "You…!" he croaked, dropping his towel.

"Ka-K-Kacchan!" For once in their fine-line ambiguous relationship, Midoriya felt like leaping with joy at Bakugou's arrival. 'What are the odds he'd stumble right in just when I happened on that epiphany?' He happily gestured an open palm towards the opposite end of the couch he left unoccupied. "Come here!"

"What?!"

"I actually… I need to talk to you about something. Something important. Please? You know I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate."

Bakugou shivered. He still wasn't used to conversing on equal grounds with the boy he used to regularly torment in their earlier years, much less enter an intimate topic as Midoriya's timid tone suggested. Reluctantly, he picked up his towel, dragged himself to the couch, and sat as far from Midoriya as physically possible, rigid as a plank. Then he waited, glaring at the grey television screen.

Midoriya unclogged his throat with another dose of green tea. "So, um, Kirishima…he…he, err- That is, he um… Hey! D-did you know that-"

"Damn it, Deku, just spit it out!" Bakugou angrily snorted.

"Right! Sorry. He, uh, he told me…something interesting th-the other…day."

"Interesting how?" Bakugou didn't care to hide his impatience. "And why are you telling _me_ about it if it's between you and him?"

"Because you're the closest person to Uraraka right now," Midoriya reasoned with a face that made clear to Bakugou how much he didn't want to admit that. Scarred hands hid his freckles as they ran a pink trail up to his ears.

Like a spider trailing along its intricately woven web, long black legs of unease crawled up Bakugou's arms and buried their shuddersome claws into his face and neck as he listened to the words—

"...Kirishima told me…that he…he likes Uraraka."

The deafening pressure was back with a force pressing into his eardrums similar to the painful _pop_ before an atomic explosion. " ** _He what?!_** " Bakugou howled and shot off the couch.

Midoriya could only flinch, not having expected such a vehement reaction. "He confessed his feelings," he spoke more clearly this time, "And said that he's serious about asking her out."

Bakugou pinched the growing wrinkles between his eyebrows. 'Kirishima, you idiot…' The only initial 'concern' he had when he and Uraraka made their deal was Midoriya, which he didn't mind _too_ much since he felt the nerd deserved it for making her wait for him in the manner that he did. Now that a new person was thrown into the equation he had been so carefully devising, he felt ambushed, like fending off an attempted assassination on his sanity. To make things worse, it had to be _Kirishima_ of all people.

He caught himself in Midoriya's wide, stupefied eyes and immediately reverted to a passive stance. "Hmph! And so what?"

"I-I…"

"Grow a pair and speak up! You know I hate it when you mumble!"

"Ye-Yes! Sorry!" Midoriya placed his empty styrofoam cup on the table. "Well, to be honest, Uraraka confessed to me before I left on my mission. Because of the timing, I couldn't really think about my own feelings so I asked her to wait for me until I got back so I could give her a proper answer. Now that I think about it, that was actually pretty selfish of me."

"You don't say," Bakugou grumbled just low enough for Midoriya to miss it.

"And I know it's wrong of me to think this, but I'm pretty lucky that she hasn't gotten with another guy just yet, as pretty and cool as she is. I mean, I'll admit that when I first saw how you two acted around each other, I thought there was something going on between you but then I remembered, 'Nah, it's Kacchan' and realized how silly my thoughts were. Based on the girls you've dated in the past, there's no way Uraraka could be your type."

Bakugou clawed the outside of his pockets, fingernails digging deeper into his thigh at every mistaken assumption that fell from Midoriya's mouth.

Midoriya looked up at him for a telling reaction but upon seeing a straight expression, sighed, "I…I feel the same way as Kirishima and…I feel so awful about it because he's my friend! But at the same time, I don't want to just stand by and do nothing when I know he's after Uraraka so I…don't know what to do."

"So you come to me with your little love problems," Bakugou forced the words through his teeth, "Why the hell would I be at the top of your list for that shit?!"

"You're kind of the bridge between the two s-so…" Midoriya swallowed.

And Bakugou immediately snapped back, "Like hell I am!"

"But I'm not asking you to do anything for me or to favor me over Kirishima because I know that will never happen!" Midoriya leaped to his feet. "I'm conveying all this to you because I want to say, 'I'm sorry.' I'm sorry, Kacchan!"

Bakugou's jaw just about dropped as he muttered, "You're…apologizing?"

Midoriya bent to a mid-level bow. "I know both Kirishima and Uraraka are important to you-"

"You're making me fucking sick," Bakugou bitterly spat, fighting the urge to grab the aching center of his chest. "I don't depend on those two for anything so save your stupid apologies for someone who cares. Anyway, what are you going to do about it now? Your 'resolve.'"

Midoriya straightened himself up and twiddled his index fingers. "I, uh, I'm not quite sure if I should but I'd like to, err, finally give Uraraka my answer."

"Whoop-dee-fucking-doo," Bakugou mocked, "Looks like you came to that conclusion just fine on your own. There go ten minutes of my life I'll never get back." He turned to take his leave but was stopped when Midoriya let out another sigh, catching his annoyance. "Damn it! What now?"

"But Kacchan, do you…" Midoriya looked down at his hands. "Do you think I'm good enough? For her?"

'No! You suck!' Bakugou almost blurted but swallowed the words down. "You're questioning yourself _now?_ "

"I can't help but wonder if Kirishima would be better for Uraraka," said Midoriya, "He's strong, confident, bold, dependable and I'm…well, me. If he's better for her, I don't want to be selfish again and try to keep her with me when she could have such a better life with someone else."

Every word stabbed and tore relentlessly at Bakugou but his eyes and lips remained steady, as though they'd been chiseled into stone. "You really think that, huh?"

Midoriya nodded. "I-in a sense, yeah."

"Then you're a fucking idiot who doesn't deserve anybody."

"W-w-wait, what?"

"If you want Uraraka as badly as you claim to then you shouldn't let your impression of one guy stop you," Bakugou strangled his towel as he spoke, "She likes you, doesn't she? And unlike you, she had the balls to say it to your face. So to ignore that just because you think she'd be better off with someone else who you feel is _so_ much better than you, you're no better than a clueless, selfish asshole who doesn't deserve to be with her!"

Midoriya raised his shimmering green eyes to him. "Kacchan…" To think that Bakugou was actually, in a way, _encouraging_ him to surpass Kirishima felt so surreal that he had to pinch himself in the arm to make sure he hadn't fainted mid-conversation and landed in his inner delirium. "How should I go about it then?" he asked.

"I don't fucking know," Bakugou scoffed, "That's _your_ problem, not mine."

"But-" Midoriya started to protest but was cut off by a loud vibration in his pocket. Frowning, he pulled out his phone and, after reading whatever message he received, gasped, "Gah! I totally forgot about this!" He hastily jammed his phone back into his pocket. "Sorry to leave like this, Kacchan, but I've gotta go."

Bakugou's grimace darkened as he lifted his nose into the air. "All Might."

Midoriya then took his jacket and threw his cup into the trash bin. "Yep!" he confirmed, "We were supposed to cover endurance training at the beach today and it completely slipped my mind! How could I have- Geez, I'm so late. No, no, no…"

Bakugou gritted his teeth. The cauldron of jealousy he kept locked away was beginning to boil and brew again, reminding him of the horrendous costs that awaited if he allowed even the smallest distractions deter him from his goals. As a third-year student at U.A. with a work-study internship under another top pro and being a potential selection for Valedictorian along with Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, and Iida in that order, that price was something he couldn't afford. At all.

"...Uraraka gets off work at five today," Bakugou's voice sank.

Midoriya's ears perked up in the midst of his panicked rummaging for his things. "What?"

"The dinky little mom and pop bakery in the middle of town, near the park. She'll be there." Bakugou hung his towel back over his shoulder and shot Midoriya a cold and purposeful glare. "She likes having company on her walk back to U.A. and occasionally stopping by the brick toast café on the way. Chilled raspberry soda. Caramel-cinnamon brick toast. They're her de-stressors." He thought over what he had just said and quickly barked, "You'd better not tell anyone— especially her— that I'm part of your little pity mission or I swear, I'm going to fuck you up so bad you'll wish you were dead."

Midoriya's look of apprehension melted into sincere content as he realized what those words meant. "Thanks, Kacchan." Another vibration from his phone sent his nerves up the roof and his body out the door with a high-pitched, "Bye!"

After the door clicked shut, Bakugou finally let out the huge gulp of breath he had been holding in. It was as though he had just survived a ballista storm, hardly unscathed.

Every word he used was a burning arrow to his flesh as he was fully aware that it wasn't Midoriya he was speaking to the whole time but a refracted image of himself. It pained him to look into the emerald-tinted glass that always stood in front of him and find that reflection sneering back, too proud of the sins he had committed. And the only way to break that part of his conscience was to confront it head-on. "What the hell…" he groaned while furiously rubbing a hand over his face. "Now Midoriya is off training with All Might."

Just. Midoriya.

"That's right, nerd," he suddenly smirked, "I'll play along. If it means getting one over you."

.

.

.

.

Bakugou had taken it upon himself to follow up on Midoriya's progress, be it he did so with great abhorrence, after a sinking feeling nagged him that the awkward weirdo wouldn't have the guts to follow through with the meet-up. Well, he was _half_ right. Midoriya at least arrived at the right bakery and on time. What irked Bakugou the most from there on was Midoriya's reluctance to enter the shop followed by his natural ineptitude in casual human conversation and memory-driven navigation. "Fucking Deku…" he grumbled on as he followed them to the café. Somehow, his plan worked out in that Uraraka had now taken control of this 'date' but that didn't please him one bit. In fact, it just made him angrier.

He entered with them undetected as talking to the hostess automatically steered their attention from him. He was then seated a couple of minutes after them and, of all places, in the booth beside theirs with only a faux hedge serving as their divider. Whether this was considered luck or a curse, it didn't matter. He'd eavesdrop on them all the same.

…

"Sorry, Deku," Uraraka shortly excused herself from the table, "I have to freshen up really quick. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all!" said Midoriya, "I'll hold down the fort here. I'm pretty sure I can handle a little menu and some drinks…" He waited until Uraraka left to peek into his menu's contents and gulped, "What's with these weird names?"

…

Bakugou angrily bit the laminated corner of his own menu. 'Come on! I already told you what to order!'

…

Midoriya flipped through the rest of the pages until he came to the hard plastic backing of the booklet. 'Kacchan said she liked some kind of brick bread and raspberry soda combination, right? Darn, which one was it again?' He closed his eyes to try and visualize the events of a few hours ago but Bakugou's mouth and words were a large blur as thoughts of All Might and beach training overpowered the memory. Yet, somehow, he could remember the threat that followed much better. What was it with his selective memory in times like these?

Their waitress soon approached him and greeted with a high and jolly voice, "Hello and welcome! The weather has been super duper hot today, right? You've come at a fan-tab-ulous time to relax and cool down! Tell me, have you decided on what you'd like to order?"

Midoriya pressed his lips shut. Should he wait for Uraraka to return or order for her? Ordering ahead _for_ her would be the more gentlemanly thing to do, wouldn't it? Chivalry 101. The bright and expectant look the waitress was giving him didn't help his anxiety at all either.

…

"Wait for her, you fucker," Bakugou hissed behind his menu, "If you're not sure then you'd better-"

…

"Uh, ye-yes, we have," Midoriya happily nodded, oblivious to the loud bang that came from the hidden booth next to theirs. "We'd like to try your…" He read over the selection of colorful food items and picked out the ones that best interested him, "Raspberry soda, pitcher-sized, with um, your signature honey-garlic brick bread. Oh! And a large-sized 'Full Dog,' please!"

"My pleasure! I'll be right back with your order." The waitress took their menus and left.

Midoriya licked his lips at the imaginary taste of raspberry and hotdog swirling in his mouth. He hadn't eaten since training with All Might that day and his stomach was more than ready for a hefty meal. He straightened up upon Uraraka's return and grinned, "Welcome back!"

Uraraka smiled at him and sat in her seat. "Thanks. Did you order already?"

"Sure did!"

"Great! I would have felt bad if you had to wait for me and ended up starv-" Uraraka reached for her menu but grasped only air. She looked down to find that all that sat on her table was a plate and utensils. "Um, Deku, where are the menus?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Midoriya proudly remarked, "I ordered for us so the food is already on its way."

Uraraka blinked dumbfoundedly. "O-oh?" she did her best to not sound too surprised, "You already knew what I wanted?"

Midoriya thought back to the word Kirishima used for good guessing and repeated, "Instinct."

…

Waiting for _their_ order felt like an eternity compared to Bakugou's whose only consisted of a small cup of black coffee and a modest slice of tiramisu to reserve his stakeout spot next to them. When their order finally _did_ arrive, he felt like grabbing Midoriya's poofy head and blasting it to Timbuktu.

Someone had better explain to him, _now_ , why of all the things Midoriya ordered only _one_ came out right for the occasion and it was just the fucking raspberry drink.

…

Uraraka stared at the honey-garlic bread in front of her, unsure of what 'happy' face to make at the pungent snack. It wasn't that she minded garlic but it just wasn't the perfect remedy for her after-work mood that the sweet combination of caramel and cinnamon better appeased. Nonetheless, she remembered that Midoriya ordered it keeping her in mind and put on her best smile as she took the first bite.

"How is it?" Midoriya asked her, "It's good, huh? It's one of their best selling items." His single chomp took off almost half of his hotdog, spilling some of the loose relish and onions onto his plate. His pace must have left him parched because he reached out for the cold pitcher of raspberry soda and poured the bright red fizzy liquid into one of the ice cups that sat between them.

Uraraka blushed, thinking he meant to serve it to her, and reached an open hand for her favorite drink only for him to raise the plastic cup to his lips and proceed to gulp the soda down. Her already uncertain smile vanished altogether as her fingers folded and retreated to the pitcher.

Midoriya happily finished his drink and took another bite of his hotdog. "Man, that really hit the spot!" he exhaled, "Raspberry soda has always been my favorite since I was a kid, too. Oh! N-not that I'm assuming you like… I just thought- Um, do you like raspberry flavor, Uraraka?"

Uraraka continued to pour into her cup with disinterest. "Yeah, it's great," she sighed. ' _He_ always poured the drink in for me,' she remembered fondly, 'Maybe I just got a bit spoiled in the last f-' She realized the detriment in her thoughts and dropped the plastic pitcher, spilling raspberry soda all over the table and floor. "Oh no! I-I'm so sorry!"

…

Bakugou had to refrain from flying over to their booth, only able to watch with disdain as the fruity drink made its way to his side, staining the white soles of his sneakers a brilliant pink. 'Shit!' To make matters worse, Uraraka popped her head over the pathetic hedge that separated them and asked, "Sorry about that, sir! I was being clumsy. Are you alright? I didn't get my drink on your clothes, did I?"

He pulled his cap down and looked away as he spoke in a forced gravelly voice, "I'm fine." He could still see her reflection on the dark screen of his phone, squinting suspiciously at his appearance. Surely, she hadn't…?

"Uraraka, the waitress is here," Midoriya called her back.

To Bakugou's relief, Uraraka turned her gaze elsewhere and vanished behind the hedge again, presumably to clean up the mess she made. That was too close for comfort, prompting him to leave a wad of cash for his estimated bill on the table and exit the premises. Whatever happened from there on wouldn't be any of his concern anymore.

By his standards, Midoriya had already fucked up.

.

.

.

.

Scrubbing the grime and leaves from his shoes was no easy task, Bakugou found, when sitting on his the edge of his bed with one leg over his knee to support his tired elbows while he repeatedly ran an old, bristly brush over the soles of said shoes. His parents always told him that it was better to rid one's clothes of its defects the very moment they happened but what was he supposed to do in the middle of some gaudy café with the people he was spying on beside him? "Damn it," he huffed and scrubbed harder. "I just bought these, too!"

Uraraka's disheartened stare from earlier came back to him, bringing his hand to a stop. 'What the hell… Why am I thinking about _that_ now?'

Her wish from their first night echoed in the back of his mind, _"...They're fun things to think about— holding hands, hugging, sharing stories…"_ How she blushed with frustration was still so vivid in his eyes. " _I've been waiting for the right time. I mean person! I don't know!"_

The image that followed was brief but as brilliant and grand as a fully colored mural— Midoriya and Uraraka standing side by side, hand in hand, suit and dress matching ever so nicely. Midoriya smiling graciously, his lips moving with blissful gusto, while Uraraka, though also smiling, stayed silent. She looked…happy, Bakugou guessed, though not at all unlike the 'blushing bride' facade she put on in the commons the day Midoriya came back.

'Is this a mistake?' The horrific doubt clawed at him but he stubbornly shook it off without remorse.

No. Of course not.

He had to remember what was truly important. "Number one," he uttered his vow, "Number one."

Just then, a soft knock rapped at his door, followed by a gentle, "Bakugou, are you in there?"

Bakugou stopped his seething the instant the voice reached his ears. Carefully, he put his half-finished worked down and ventured off to greet his visitor with a wide swing of his door.

Uraraka jumped, barely saving the two full mugs in her hands by a last-second activation of her quirk. "Kyah!" she gasped and held her chest, "Geez, don't scare me like that!"

" _You're_ the one knocked on _my_ door," Bakugou grouched, "What do you want?"

"You've got a point there," Uraraka giggled and held up the drinks. "Coffee? It's instant but the good kind."

"Hmph." Bakugou stepped to the side to let her in.

"Here you go," said Uraraka, holding out his share. "Careful, it's hot."

"No shit." Bakugou refused to let his scowl go as he grabbed the mug by its side instead of the handle. Yep. It _burned_. Just like when he touched Uraraka back at the- He quickly snubbed the thought and closed the door behind him.

Uraraka decided to occupy his computer chair. "How is it?"

Bakugou took a sip. "Just like your baking, I'll live."

"I really don't know if that's a compliment or an insult at this point."

"That's just too bad then."

"Bakugou…"

Bakugou hid a grin behind his mug as Uraraka's exasperated whine tickled his belly. There was just something about getting under this girl's skin that enthralled him so. "So again, what do you want?"

"So, um," she began, "Deku and I went on a date today…sort of."

"Good on you," Bakugou groaned sarcastically as he sat back down on the corner of his bed, just across from her.

Uraraka pouted and rolled herself closer to him. "You didn't happen to have anything to do with setting that up by any chance, did you?" she cooed, arching an eyebrow.

"Like hell I would," Bakugou repelled her without effort, "What you two decide to do with yourselves isn't any of my business."

"He ordered certain things for me at a certain café that I thought only you would know I liked, that's all. Must have been a coincidence." Uraraka rubbed a thumb along the rim of her mug before lifting it to her lips for a tentative sip. "I had hoped he would give me his answer by then but…"

"Don't tell me." Bakugou downed another sip. "He wussed out?"

"I don't know," Uraraka sighed sadly, "As we were nearing the end of our time at the café, he suddenly got this weird look on his face and went quiet. We still talked on the walk back but he wasn't inputting as much. I don't know what happened. Maybe I turned him off when I accidentally spilled my drink on our table."

Normally, Bakugou would have found it stupid to ask about an event he was present for but having remembered he was there incognito, he quickly questioned, "You spilled your drink?" and hoped Uraraka would be too exasperated to elaborate.

"It's a long story," she replied.

And Bakugou rolled his eyes. 'Thank god.'

Uraraka smiled softly at him then down at her mug again. "Do you think…Deku and I…are good for each other?"

'That's a weird ass question,' Bakugou thought and asked back, "Why are you looking to me for validation?"

"...I don't know." Uraraka could feel her face heating up. "Maybe I'm just nervous? No, frustrated. Upset? I don't know." She couldn't say it, that something didn't feel right.

Bakugou tightened his hold on his mug. "I already told you, didn't I? Get your shit together and make a decision. In case you haven't noticed, it's not just about Deku anymore."

Uraraka's pained but hopeful gaze shifted to him. "What do you mean?"

"Never mind, you're blind as shit." Bakugou could feel her eyes on him but refused to look back. His face would show too much the internal firestorm he kept at bay in her presence and he knew that he had no right revealing such things. _This_ was his reality, to gather the rotten fruits of his decisions which he willingly planted, seed after seed. Would he make amends? Unlikely. He would just mind his distance and keep plucking until all of his trees stood barren on a land engulfed by flames. "So where'd you wander off to this morning?" he veered the topic.

"Hmm…" Uraraka took a turn at sipping her beverage, smiling at the musky aroma that stirred her senses to consciousness. "I got called into work early and besides, I can never sleep back whenever I'm awake enough know you're not on the bed anymore."

Bakugou winced at the guilt that bit him. He was certain Uraraka hadn't meant for what she said to sound as demeaning towards him as it did but it came off that way anyway. For sure she wasn't just another 'hit it and quit it' girl he indulged and left to fend for herself after an overnight frolick. Maybe her persistence in labeling them 'friends' was finally getting to him. "You know I leave early for my workouts," he muttered, revealing more of his aversion than he would have liked.

"Yeah, I know," Uraraka halfheartedly giggled then tilted her head to him. "Is something wrong?"

'Sticking her nose into my business like a damn lost puppy.' Bakugou frowned and took one last swig of his coffee. As usual, Uraraka must have detected the sudden drop in his energy. It annoyed him whenever she did that but at the same time served as a small reminder that he wasn't…alone? If that was even the right word. It was more accurate to say that he felt like someone else other than Kirishima had his back but he knew she wouldn't be there to stay. Not if Midoriya kept to his word.

It only took one glance for Bakugou to know that the same thing sat on both their minds. Actually, it had been there for a while now. "Do I really need to tell you, Uraraka?" he asked.

She hid behind the longer front strands of chestnut hair that fell over her cheeks and shoulders, unwilling to answer him.

Bakugou tried again, "Listen-"

"Bakugou." Uraraka leaned towards him. "Please, don't-"

Bakugou's shoulder jerked lightly at their sudden closeness. With one simple action, Uraraka had effectively trapped him in her doe-eyed gaze and he was, dare he think it, _terrified_ to learn that he had absolutely no intention of escaping her. Instead, his eyes wandered down to her lips, the scent of coffee still evident on their rosy glossiness. The urge to smother them with his and give her a taste of the overly strong drink she made for him was compelling, testing his already notorious weakness of self-preservation. He never had any problems claiming her kisses before, he knew, but this vibe felt…different. Warm. Addicting. All consuming.

Uraraka also seemed drawn to the ethereal vacuum between them because though both fought to keep focused on each other's eyes, it was no deniable secret that they were now only centimeters apart, their caffeinated breaths mingling.

'What the hell am I doing?' The reflection crossed Bakugou as he was brought awake to the reality that he had Uraraka's small chin in his fingers, his eyelids half open and her cheeks tinted a gentle vermillion. His heart raced without him, an untamed Pegasus galloping across the fiery sky, spreading its gallant wings to take off towards the golden sun that radiated such a sweltering beauty that he had to, yet again, look another way.

And with a stray arrow to his wing, he'd plummet.

Bakugou withheld a sigh. "Never mind." Hesitantly, he released Uraraka's chin and went back to nursing his invisible coffee. 'I feel tired all of a sudden.'

A forlorn smile slipped past Uraraka's lips as she looked down at the earthy drink between her hands. Then, something else caught her eye— Bakugou's shoes peeping out from under his bed, their soles stained pink. Her eyes immediately began to water as she asked, "Bakugou, is all this a…mistake?"

Bakugou already knew what she saw and spared her the lies he prepared. "It has nothing to do with me so why ask that?" He ripped himself from her side and put his mug down on the study desk, his back serving as the silent wall that she could confide in but Uraraka couldn't take it anymore, the constant back-and-forth guessing between them.

Finally, with a hard slam of her own mug on his desk, she cried, "Don't _you_ have anything to say about me and Deku? Are _you_ okay with letting it all end like this? A lot of what's happening has _a lot_ to do with you so why won't you tell me anything?!"

"What do you want me to say?" Bakugou clenched his hands into matching fists. "Huh, Uraraka? I already told you my thoughts on that so what more do you want? Or a better question would be, what the fuck do you want to hear? Because believe me, I can say it to get you off my case but I sure as hell won't mean it!"

He was met with a weighty silence that pressed down on not only his chest but his entire body. It only worsened the longer he waited for her answer and when he opened his mouth to confirm, he was stopped by two meekly said words, "I see." His shoulders fell to a slump as Uraraka walked past him, both mugs in her hands and her head hung in melancholy. "Sorry to have bothered you," she mumbled, "I must have misunderstood some things along the way. Please forget everything that I just said."

Bakugou would not resist her advice, having already planned on doing that himself after tonight.

"Oh," Uraraka added, "And…Deku asked me out to the amusement park so I'll be seeing him again tomorrow. Not that you really care, right?"

"There you go again, making me out to be the bad guy." Bakugou never knew a time it hurt to smirk until now. "Take a good look around you! Thanks to me, you're several steps closer to getting with the guy you like. Hell, we should celebrate! You'll be free of me soon, Uraraka. You're getting the real deal."

Uraraka bit her quivering lip and, cautiously balancing the two mugs in one hand, opened the door with the other. As she took her first step out, she looked back at him. And with a tearful smile, she confessed, "I stopped pretending you were someone else a long time ago, Bakugou."

He reacted on pure instinct so it was impossible to stop but Bakugou took a step forward with his arm stretched out to grab her. His fingers barely touched the ends of her hair as she spun around and bolted out of his room, not once looking back to see the state she'd left him in. Not that she should care, right? After all, he already made it clear that he certainly didn't…shouldn't. "Fuck!" He threw the nearest object to him, which happened to be his school bag, to the floor before jumping into his bed and burying his head under his pillows.

He never asked to be put into this kind of situation. It was supposed to be a simple 'get in, get out' kind of agreement that should have lasted at most a few days. He'd curse himself a million times for ignoring his better judgment and pursuing Uraraka way past their deadline and all because of the foul word called 'curiosity.' The horrid truth was, it killed him inside to see her with anyone else but him. It didn't take a genius to figure out what feelings he had carelessly fallen into; feelings that he had warned himself numerous times to avoid at all cost. Yet here he was with only himself to blame for not being able to be the stronger person. "Fuck me..." The agonized groan left his lips but with no one in the room to receive it.

.

.

Of course, in real life, nightmarish situations such as these never went away for anyone who tried sleeping them off. Bakugou learned this when he started the next morning in the commons and happened upon a dolled-up Uraraka, complete with mascara, lip gloss, and eyeliner to go with her summer dress, finishing up a light breakfast of yogurt and fruit. Bakugou was never one to leave things on a hushed note but for some reason, couldn't raise his voice to her. Thus, without so much as a simple greeting of, 'Hello,' Uraraka brushed a shoulder past him and exited the room, her eyes never meeting his along the way. He shrugged and carried on with his morning like normal, unmoved. He refused to let her new demeanor affect him. It was always supposed to be this way anyway.

"You sure look cheerful this fine day!" Kirishima exclaimed as he made his entrance known. He looked on with a triumphant grin as Bakugou, calm and straight-faced, ventured out of the kitchen area with a half-burnt slice of toast in his mouth. "Aw, Bakugou, leaving already? Where's the fire?"

"It just busted in," Bakugou grumbled.

Kirishima simply laughed and followed after the blonde. "I figured I'd try to catch up with you on your workout this morning, but-"

"I'm up at five sharp," Bakugou huffed as he ate up the last bit of his tasteless toast. "Either you're up with me, ready to run by 5:30, or I leave you behind. You fell in the latter today so better luck next time."

"Eh, it's no problem! Because actually…" Kirishima walked over to Bakugou and placed a friendly elbow on his shoulder. "I have other plans today!"

Bakugou glared at him. "Great! Go do them."

"Aren't you curious to know what it's about? And with whom?"

"I don't care."

"Not even a little? Given how excited I am?"

"I told you, I don't care."

"Fine, I'll tell you some good news instead then."

"Grrr…"

"Thing is, I finally told Midoriya how I felt." Kirishima gingerly rubbed a finger over the tip of his nose. "About Uraraka. I was so relieved that he didn't get mad or anything! Plus, it was pretty manly of him to text me last night saying-"

That was it.

That was the last of what Bakugou's patience could take.

He could feel the floor cracking under his feet as he marched over to Kirishima, flooded him with his shadow, and shouted, "Oy, even after everything I told you, you still went ahead and- Damn it! She still likes him, you idiot! What part of that can't you understand?!"

Kirishima furrowed his brow. "But does she really?"

His uncharacteristically darker tone caught Bakugou off guard, grappling the fumes that threatened to exude from his mouth. "What the hell are you asking that for?"

"I thought I imagined it at first but now I'm almost positive that Uraraka's mind isn't on Midoriya. Not as of late, that is." Kirishima's blinding smile returned. "I think it's unfair, don't you? If Uraraka's heart is actually open but I'm supposed to just stand by and wait for Midoriya to make his move because everyone says he eventually will?"

"What you need to do is _stand down_ , Kirishima. Take it from me. This isn't something you want to get involved with. You'll only regret it."

Kirishima puffed out his lower lip. "Aw, don't be like that. You're supposed to support your best friend in these kinds of things, y'know."

What he did next caught Bakugou off guard in all the worst ways possible— Kirishima extended his hand. "The fuck is this?" Bakugou grimaced.

"I'm pretty sure it hasn't been easy for you either," said Kirishima with a friendly smile, "So it's only fair that I talk to you about all this before throwing down the gauntlet. No hard feelings between us after all this is over, right?"

Bakugou immediately shoved Kirishima's hand away, his eyes wide and red with fury. "Don't assume shit," he cautioned, "Neither you nor Uraraka have any right to decide my so-called _'feelings'_ for me. I've got my sights on something bigger than your little love drama so don't get the wrong idea here, Kirishima!"

"Alright, alright," Kirishima conceded, "Sorry. Didn't mean to make you so mad. I just thought…" He sensed Bakugou's growing rancor and turned away. "Never mind. Anyway, I've gotta go. I'm already running late and I can't miss this next bus. Later!"

"Tsk!" Bakugou clicked his tongue with the door and sat down on the couch like he normally liked to do, taking up its whole length with his stretched body. He had done an extra hour of exercise this morning but felt nowhere near tired. Rather, he could go for another run around town if he wanted to.

'Uraraka's going to meet with Deku today,' he reminded himself, 'Somehow, it worked out between them so if all goes well, shitnerd'll get off his dusty nutsack and finally make them official. After that, the road to 'Number One Hero' will be all clear for me. I just have to wait it out a bit longer.' He flipped over to his side, one arm resting under his head. 'Still, what is this uneasy feeling I'm getting?'

Little did he know that his question would be answered by a certain someone's entrance into the common room. Indulging his curiosity, Bakugou sat up to meet his new companion only to have his rage return.

" _I have other plans today!"_ …

 _"Aren't you curious to know what it's about? And with whom?"…_

 _"Thing is, I finally told Midoriya how I felt."_

"I should have fuckin' known!" Bakugou snarled and leaped over the back of the couch.

There, by the door, was a pale and wide-eyed Midoriya, clutching the door handle as though his lifeline was attached to it. "Kacchan," he acknowledged with a twitchy grin, "Yo-you're here, huh? Eh-heh-heh…"

"Deku, you bastard…! " Bakugou singed Midoriya's collar as he grabbed it and hoisted the curly-haired teen up into the air. "What the fuck did you do?!"


	10. Chapter 10

Midoriya flailed and coughed, only able to set himself free after a desperate kick to Bakugou's hard gut shook him loose. He should have guessed that his prodigious childhood friend would have figured him out as quick he did. Yet, even then, a part of him knew he'd still be ill-prepared for the consequences.

"After all the grief I went through, giving you pointers on how to win Uraraka over!" Bakugou continued to berate him, "what the fuck were you thinking?!"

"It was the right thing to do!" Exasperated, Midoriya rubbed the red outline that highlighted the back of his neck. "I'm no good for Uraraka so if she's with someone like Kirishima, it'll be fine. I can live with that. She'd be happier with someone more experienced anyway."

"She likes _you_ , you moron! God! How fucking dense can you be?!"

Midoriya stiffened. "I know," his voice quivered, "I'm sorry, Kacchan. I can't. With all this training under All Might and honing One for All, I just…" Suddenly, Bakugou yanked his collar again and headed straight for the door. "K-Kacchan! What are you doing?! Let go!"

Bakugou grunted in retaliation, "Her constant one-sided whining pisses me off so you're going to have to take full responsibility and put a stop to it. Come on!"

Despite being dragged against his will, Midoriya managed to brush a sleeve over his damp lashes. "Why do you even care so much about what happens between me and Uraraka?" he whimpered, "It's not like you at all."

'I'd be damned if I have to see her with Kirishima like _that_.' Bakugou scowled at the involuntary thought and snarled, "Move your legs, damn it! We're running out of time!"

"...But where are you-"

"Get to walking!"

Despite it being near noon, the amusement park was already buzzing and glowing with life by the time Uraraka arrived. The hour of her and Midoriya's promised meeting was nigh and she could hardly contain the smile that pulled on her lips. Her eyes flitted repeatedly from her phone to her brand new red flats that tapped against the fountain she sat on. Such a shame that seeing Bakugou first thing in the morning had to ruin her initial mood but that wouldn't stop her from enjoying the rest of her day.

"Yo! Uraraka!"

Uraraka froze. The voice, though certainly familiar, did not sound anything like Midoriya's. It was an octave deeper and more rugged, almost skater-ish. She only knew one person to have that voice and looked up to greet him back, "Kirishima! What's up?" 'What are you doing here?' would have followed but she felt it a bit too rude to ask right away.

"Ahh, sorry!" Kirishima clasped his hands together and bowed apologetically. "Did I make you wait long? I tried to catch the earliest bus I could but people traffic was insane!"

"No, no, you're fine," Uraraka soothed his panic, "It's just, um-" There was no way to get around the question now. "Hang on. What do you mean by, 'Did I wait long?'"

Kirishima appeared confused as he replied, "Uhh, Midoriya sent me. He said that he couldn't get out of All Might's stuff today and felt bad about it so he asked me to accompany you in his place. He told me he'd tell you in advance so I thought you…knew…already…" His chirp deteriorated at seeing the growing frown on Uraraka's face. "Crap, you didn't know."

Uraraka shook her head, unable to hide the cardinal glow on her cheeks as she hurriedly flipped open her phone. She felt foolish. It shouldn't have taken her so long to realize that she had only been checking the time and not the content inside of her phone. What greeted her was an obnoxious unopened message that, after finally clicking on it, read:

' _Hi, Uraraka!_

 _Sorry, I know I told you I'd catch up with you at the amusement park later since I had extra workout routines to do this morning but it seems like All Might isn't letting me go. I asked Kirishima to take you around in my stead so I hope that'll make up for it. Go enjoy! Sorry again! -Izuku M.'_

Uraraka couldn't believe what she was seeing. She'd only ever seen these types of set-ups in dramas and movies, not real life. "I, um, I don't know what to say," she muttered lamely.

Kirishima noticed her discomfort and sighed, "Hey, no, don't worry about it. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

"No, no," Uraraka insisted, " _I_ should be sorry that you've been put in this position. It's not fair to you." She did her best to not appear too disconcerted but that was far easier said than done as the familiar vises of insecurity and desertion were already rapidly wrapping themselves around her. She had to cope with the reality that one, Midoriya was gone and two, Bakugou had chosen to evade her reach. The delicate buds of 'Friendship' and 'Love' that she had been so carefully cultivating had all about withered, never having even bloomed.

"Well, how about this?" the ever-optimistic Kirishima grinned through his proposal, "We can stand here and apologize to each other all day _or_ you can let me make it up to you and take you around the park since we're already here."

Uraraka looked up at Kirishima, masking her sorrow the best way she knew how— with a smile. "I…don't want you to feel obligated to hang out with me."

"Why would I?" Kirishima folded his arms. "I'm offering because I _want_ to hang out with you. I think you're cool."

Uraraka bit her lip. His frank but kind words had broken her clouds apart, letting in the small rays of warmth she had no idea she'd been seeking. "O-oh," she blushed, "Really?"

"I promise I won't bite. Believe it or not, I actually know how to have a good time in these kinds of places! So what do you say?"

Uraraka thought over Kirishima's offer one more time then finally accepted with a small nod, "Fine, you sold me."

"Don't worry," said Kirishima as he led them to the entrance gates, "I'll have you back to your cute and cheerful self in no time."

Uraraka flinched. "Wh-wha… What?"

It was a deliberate slip-up; a flirting technique Kirishima spent half of last year perfecting. He noticed promising results with not only the one or two girls he had taken out on legitimate dates that never really went anywhere but also with fellow classmates Mina, Yaoyorozu, and Hagakure. Of course, his intentions were purely playful with them and he felt flattered whenever they blushed or pushed him away out of embarrassment but now he was with Uraraka who was both a friend _and_ more-than interest. He would never show it, but his panicked heart had long left him to fend for his self-calm and dignity.

"What did you just say?" Uraraka once again pushed for a clarification.

"That today's going to be fun!" Kirishima left the comment at that and purchased both of their tickets despite Uraraka's protests.

The park was just as vast and crowded and rowdy as he remembered it. It wasn't Kirishima's ideal place for a first date but it would definitely make for an easier time breaking the ice. "Let's go on the jellyfish ride first," he happily goaded, "I have a feeling you'll like it."

The gravity manipulator felt her tummy flutter. 'Geez, what's with him today? I feel self-conscious all of a sudden.' Hiding a shy smile, she followed him but just as she was getting into the groove of letting herself go, Midoriya's indirect rejection and Bakugou's callous remarks made their return. She would have faltered if it wasn't for Kirishima's firm hand on her shoulder. The gesture was quick but nonetheless reassuring and she didn't realize that she had been shaking so much until then. 'Did he sense it?' she wondered, looking up at the redhead for an answer. Though he wasn't looking at her, his smile remained.

True to his word, their first stop was a jellyfish-shaped ride where the tentacles served as colorful swings for the patrons. Luckily for them, the line was smaller for this ride and mainly consisted of children and moody pre-teens.

"Well?" Kirishima looked to Uraraka for an equally enthusiastic response. "It's one of the most chill rides around. Hardly anyone gets on it so this is a good way to warm up for the tougher stuff."

Uraraka gave two uncertain blinks. "Looks…fun. I think." But when she saw the group before them get taken up by the gargantuan machine to be swung around in wide, rapid circles, she nearly wretched.

Kirishima noticed her greening complexion and asked in an amused tone, "What's wrong?"

"Okay, on second thought, I can think of something a little more fun for us to do." Uraraka opened the park map she held and planted her index finger on a particular attraction that caught her eye.

Kirishima dipped his chin to her shoulder to have a better look at what she was pointing at. "Oh, sweet! You're into that kind of stuff, too? I never would have guessed."

Uraraka's cheeks briefly glowed as she stepped to the side a bit to regain the distance between them. "Well yeah," she managed to smirk at her excitable companion, "They're fun! And honestly, I don't do very well being spun or jerked around anyway. Motion sickness and all."

Kirishima jokingly gave a tired shrug before flashing her another smile. "Alright then, Uraraka, lead the way!"

Just as their turn arrived, Uraraka hopped out of the line with Kirishima following close behind her. "What-" the ride operator tried to ask but the pair simply laughed and disappeared into the growing ocean of people.

"What are we doing here, Kacchan?" Midoriya demanded, taking pursuit of the blonde who had sprinted ahead. It was a good thing he wasn't expecting an answer because he certainly didn't get one. "Kacchan!"

Bakugou stomped his foot against the pavement. "What do you think?" he snorted, "We're here to put a stop to this little 'date.' You know, the one your stupid ass set up."

Midoriya took a hesitant scan of the place. He had only ever heard about this particular amusement park; how it stood out from the others in the surrounding structures because it was designed after the movies its studio and owner created. Its different sections were made up of 'Fairy Wonderland,' 'Golden Honey Gardens,' 'Fist of the Gods,' 'Crystal Jungles,' 'Galaxy World,' and lastly, 'Vanilla Ville.' He would have never guessed that he had actually invited Uraraka out to such an extravagant place. Sero, his oh-so-reliable adviser of young-adult dating, had some explaining to do.

"Oy, nerd!"

Midoriya jumped and looked to where Bakugou was calling from. "Wh-What?"

"Hurry up!" Bakugou impatiently barked while pointing over numerous groups of people passing by him, "I think I just saw Kirishima's stupid hair bouncing over that way!"

"Kacchan," Midoriya sighed, "Why are we even-"

"Fucking follow me or you're dead, mutter-mouth!" After giving Midoriya his last warning, Bakugou sprinted off.

After seeing how Bakugou had matured, in his own way, over the past three years while traversing their road to becoming top heroes, Midoriya knew better than to take his vulgar threats too seriously anymore. As he was now, the human detonator wouldn't hurt a tiny fly unless it threatened world domination. Then again, this was _Bakugou Katsuki_ he was trying to analyze. Unpredictability was another factor he couldn't ignore and thus, Midoriya decided to follow him. For their friends' sakes.

It seemed Uraraka was more inclined to commune with the gods than mingle with the fairies today, which Kirishima found both amusing and fascinating since 'Fist of the Gods' was an oversized obstacle course with vibrant high strikers and shot-put fields as side attractions. In an essence, _his_ type of fun. One could only imagine the joy he felt when he learned that Uraraka was also interested in these same things.

"Here!" her melodious voice chirped.

Kirishima giddily approached her only to frown in wonder over what they were seeing. It was a small and fast-moving line for two horizontal rope ladders that crossed over a large inflatable pool of water which extended to a fifteen-foot vertical wall, then to a large net, and a mountain of rolling logs after that. Indeed, they were at the starting point of the entire course. He took note of Uraraka's short summer dress and flats and mumbled, "Um, Uraraka, I'm thinking this may not be the best place since…well, not to say that you don't look nice, but umm…your…attire."

Uraraka looked down at herself and tilted her head. "What about it?"

"Well, a dress…a-and…climbing?" Kirishima tried to piece his answer together with the least amount of stuttering, "People might, uh, see…things."

"Oh!" It seemed his hints finally dawned on Uraraka because she more than happily flipped up the skirt of her dress. "Don't worry! I came totally prepared!"

Kirishima's reflex would have been to cover his eyes but he was glad to find that, even though he failed to react on time, a pair of light khaki shorts sat where Uraraka's underwear would have been. Nonetheless, he still blushed. "That's…good…then."

When their turn finally came, Uraraka hopped onto her step first while grasping the end of her rope ladder. "I'll race you!"

'Huh, she's handling today pretty well,' Kirishima thought as he grabbed onto his own set of ropes. 'Maybe taking her around was a good way to cheer her up after all.'

When the horn blared, both launched themselves in a flash. They tackled the first obstacle jungle-gym style; arms swinging in rhythm from handle to handle and legs dangling precariously over the water which they then used as weights to propel themselves forward. Kirishima reached the other side first, landing gracefully on his feet then fingertips. As he stood up to sprint for the next obstacle, Uraraka landed a couple of feet ahead of him and transitioned to a run almost instantly. He would have been impressed if it weren't for the glimpse of devastation he caught in her brown eyes. "Uraraka?"

She continued to run further and further away, her breaths and footsteps frantic as though something was after her. Something horrid.

"Uraraka!" he called louder and went after her.

Uraraka never looked back. Instead, she leaped over the vertical wall that crossed her path, barely making it to the opposite side with a tumble and roll as her foot snagged onto the foamy material. Hissing in pain at the fresh burn marks that stamped her legs and elbows, she stood right back up and kept on running.

"Uraraka!" Kirishima continued to shout after her, "Hey, wait! Stop!"

Uraraka abruptly teetered over the edge of the platform that followed, letting out a sigh of relief upon realizing Kirishima's persistent shouting had saved her from a long fall into the giant net below. Of course, last minute saves always turned awry, as clichés often went. A sudden push from behind inevitably catapulted her into the air. "Kyaaahh!" she screamed.

"Crap!" The perpetrator, who also fell in, turned out to be none other than Kirishima. "I didn't mean to-"

'Wait, I can have us float,' Uraraka realized she should have said but found her body unresponsive when Kirishima pulled her into a protective embrace. They hit the net together and in their bouncy landing, his right knee came wedged between her legs, his left hand fell near her right side, his right hand clung on to the tangled netting above her head, and his face-

"Ah!"

"Ur-Uraraka, sorry, I-"

Kirishima's bright berry irises screamed their presence at Uraraka as his hot breath tickled her lips. She audibly gulped. He was close. _Too_ close. And to her annoyance, her all too honest complexion gave her away in three immediate shades of scarlet. "Ki-Ki-Kir-Kirishima," she sputtered, "Y-yo-you're, um…"

Their suggestive position was brought more into attention by their onlookers' hoots and whistles, hardly making their situation any less awkward.

"I'll try to get up first. Hold up a sec." Kirishima attempted to climb off of Uraraka, only to wobble against the wiry net and fall back on top of her, this time, pressing his chest against hers. "Gah! Are you okay? Sorry, just bear with me for a bit-" His knee jerked upwards, hitting a flat, clothed surface and enticing a low but fleeting moan from the brunette under him. At least, it sounded like it came from her. His eyes widened as he blushed, then looked down at her and asked, "Erm, did you say something?"

Uraraka was still beet red as she mumbled nervously, "N-no… I didn't."

"O-okay then. I'm going to try and move again so, uh, sorry in advance."

"Hn," Uraraka nodded and closed her eyes. Her anxious fingers wrapped around the net, one set of five above her head just under Kirishima's hand and the other five hidden under the folds of her dress. Boy, was she glad she forecasted and wore shorts underneath or this situation would have been a lot more embarrassing than it already was.

"Hey, ya damn kids!" the obstacle course supervisor roared angrily from below, "Quit horsin' around before I blacklist both of ya from the park! This is a family-friendly environment, mind ya!"

Uraraka's eyelids instantly flew open. "Sorry!"

Thankfully, Kirishima didn't seem to hear her as he wailed back at the man, "We're not horsing around! We happen to be _stuck_. This net is way too slippery to climb out of."

The supervisor's frown turned into an amicable grin. "Oh, is that all? Well, why didn't you say so? We'll have ya outta there in a jiffy!" He immediately signaled a couple of the other workers to fish the two out.

Bakugou craned his neck over the line that snaked around the entrance to 'Fist of the Gods.' He knew that messy array of bright red spikes anywhere and was certain he saw it venture into this general area. "What's this line for?" he grumpily asked the person in front of him; blonde, seemed about the same age.

"Isn't it obvious?" the figure huffed as he turned around, "It's for the 'Fist of the Gods' obstacle course. Geez, there's a huge sign up at the front. Can't you rea-"

Bakugou's brow twitched. "You…"

The blonde instantly turned rigid. "Eh?! B-Ba-Ba…?!"

"Kacchan!" Midoriya, panting, finally caught up to Bakugou. "There you are-"

"You finally grew some balls to talk to me like a smartass, huh? What else do you have to say? I'd _love_ to hear it!"

"I-I don't. I'd rather not."

"What's your problem anyway? I just asked a damn question! Is that any way to properly respond to a person?!"

"And I answered it so what's _your_ problem?"

"Why you…!"

Midoriya stood mortified, grabbing Bakugou by the shoulders just in time to stop him from strangling the person in front of them. "No, don't!" he pleaded, "You know better than to- Wait." He squinted at Bakugou's would-be victim. "Kaminari?"

"Let go, Deku!" Bakugou bellowed, "I'm going to teach this cheeky punk some manners!"

Midoriya only tightened his hold. "No, you're not! That's Kaminari! Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Midoriya!" Kaminari just about sobbed with relief, "My savior! I'm just keeping myself busy here until Jiro goes on break. She's still got about an hour to go."

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot Jiro also had a part-time job. Wow, she works _here?_ "

"Yeah, I promised her lunch since she helped me finish up last week's essay. How about you and…" Kaminari shifted an uncertain glance towards Bakugou. "Hm. Not meaning to judge, but strange choice for a date, no? I always thought you were into Uraraka."

"I'm gonna kill you!" Bakugou roared.

"It's not like that," Midoriya calmly intervened in Bakugou's bloodlust, "We're actually looking for Uraraka right now. For some reason. Um, you didn't happen to see her wandering around, did you?"

"Uraraka's here?" Kaminari blinked.

"That's a 'no.'" Bakugou ripped Midoriya's hands off his mouth and torso and proceeded to march out of the line.

"What's gotten him so riled up?" Kaminari asked Midoriya, "I haven't seen Bakugou that mad since… Well. Nevermind. So what's up?"

Midoriya could only sigh. "It's a long story. To be honest, I don't quite understand it myself."

Two women then emerged from 'Fist of the Gods,' giggling to each other, "Did you see? A couple got stuck in the net."

"Yeah! The redhead looked like he was doing something lewd with that girl but I guess it was just a misunderstanding."

Midoriya's breath hitched as he whispered aloud his and Bakugou's suspicion, "Kirishima?"

Bakugou was still within earshot of that conversation so he didn't miss his chance to run in front of the women and demand, "What redhead? And what did the girl he was with look like?"

The one that was turning red in the face replied, "She had brown hair…I think. I don't know. It was kind of hard to see from where we were standing. She was wearing a yellowish dress for sure though."

That was all Bakugou needed to hear before he forced open a path between them and galloped for the entrance. Midoriya bowed apologetically to the baffled women, excused himself, then ran after Bakugou again. "Kacchan!"

They were allowed to complete the rest of the obstacle course and have a second go at it using free passes to skip the line as compensation for their earlier mishap but Kirishima and Uraraka declined, having already decided to move on to other sections of the park. They rode the bumper cars which, ironically, left Kirishima in a daze after their third round at crashing into each other, then braved Uraraka's fears on the park's largest roller coaster— the Thunder Rocket, took a quick snack break with some hot dogs and cinnamon bread sticks and ice cream, then decided to mellow out on the famous 'Crystal Jungle' boat ride by the time the sun had started to set.

Kirishima helped Uraraka onto the shaky boat, then flopped down next to her. As the boat began its route through the tunnels, he couldn't help but shift in his seat. The mild warmth emanating from Uraraka only made him much more aware of how small the seats for the ride actually were. Shifting once more, he fought a blush as his shoulder brushed against hers. To his dismay, the affected shoulder visibly jerked, startling Uraraka. "Sorry, I uh-" he started.

She gave a small smile and averted her gaze. "Sorry. Don't mind me. The boat's kind of small."

"No-not at all." Kirishima swallowed the thundering rhythm of his heartbeat that had climbed into his throat. An intangible tension hung in the air but he couldn't afford to lock Uraraka in a pin of discomfort now. That would surely put an abrupt end to their hangout. "Want to try the teacup ride at 'Golden Honey Gardens' next?"

Uraraka patted down her dress as if to rid her palms of the skittishness that stained them. "I think I'm good," she mumbled, "I'm ride-tuckered out. I'll go with you to watch though if you want to ride it."

"Nah, I'm pretty beat, too. Plus, it's getting dark. Should we start heading out after this?"

"Yeah, that'd be good."

As they entered the ride's treasure tunnels, Kirishima took a risk to look at Uraraka from the corner of his eye. Her shadowed profile sending his heart aflutter, he braced his nerves and threw an arm around her as nonchalantly as he could make it seem. Waiting a beat, heat flooded his cheeks and ears when he realized Uraraka wasn't going to push him away. He felt like jumping ten feet in the air in utter elation. Electric jolts ran up his arm at the skin contact. His elbow fit the crook of her neck just as nicely as he always envisioned.

Her neck swiveled against his elbow before she asked, "Kirishima? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, sorry. It's just that dark places make me somewhat nervous." It was a blatant lie which he wished he could see what kind of face Uraraka was making in response to it. Was she embarrassed? Happy? How deep was her blush? Was she even blushing at all? Oh, he sure hoped so.

"Ah, I see," Uraraka answered with a cheerful tone as if to reassure him, "Well, no need to be nervous since I'm here. Having a friend to go through these kinds of things with is always good!"

Kirishima felt his heart immediately sink. "...O-oh! Is that so? …I'm sorry. Things?"

"Yep! Being scared and stuff!" Uraraka tittered, "I remember this one time, I told Tsu that I was creeped out by tentacle-y things and Mina wanted to take us to the aquarium that weekend for our Biology study paper…"

The boat floated on at the same speed as Uraraka's story. Kirishima had to fight the urge to lift his arm from her shoulders as his dejection would be made much too obvious, so he distracted himself by half-listening to her tentacle adventure and half-admiring the fake gold coins that decorated the cold walls. 'Friend,' he mentally repeated the word, 'Friend, huh…'

He must have lost track of how much time they spent in those tunnels because by the time Uraraka said, "And that's how I've managed to cope with my fears," light had shined down on both of them. The noise of the crowd and jolly music was back and Kirishima was astounded to find that an ultramarine hue had overtaken the whole park. Curious, he glanced down at his phone. "Wow, time sure flew! It's almost seven!"

Uraraka first looked up at the violet sky then at Kirishima and said, "Listen, I can't thank you enough, Kirishima, for doing all this with me today. I really, really appreciate it. I'm so lucky to have such a good friend like you who was willing to spend his whole day with someone like me."

"...Same to you…" Kirishima furtively winced and cleared his throat as they neared the pier. "Time to step off!" he beamed and jumped onto the wooden structure once their boat came to a full stop. Putting on his most convincing smile, he then turned around and held his hand out to Uraraka. "Grab on. I'll help you up."

Uraraka smiled back at him and accepted his hand. "Thank you."

"Okay," Bakugou grumbled at the noisy water running under the wooden pier he stood on, "I'm _sure_ that red spot I saw go on this ride was Kirishima."

"That's nice, Kacchan…" Midoriya sighed.

"I'm serious! Come on! We've got to find out where they are to catch them in time."

"Boy, he's at it again," Kaminari groaned.

Jiro glared at the exhausted Kaminari and Midoriya and asked, "Tell me again why we're following Bakugou around while he's sniffing around for his best friend?" Not only was she frustrated that she had to cough up some of her own cash to pay for Midoriya and Bakugou's lunch but also because since the end of her shift, they'd been trailing behind Bakugou as he went on with his manhunt. Which had been about two hours of endless walking for her.

Kaminari crossed his arms and muttered, "Actually, Jiro's got a good point. Why _are_ we tagging along with you guys? This sounds like a you and Bakugou issue."

"It's not like we forced you to come," Midoriya shrugged, "You suddenly followed us then dragged Jiro along once she got off. So I'm not entirely sure, either."

"Oy, Kaminari…" Jiro's voice dipped to a threatening low, "You mean to tell me…I've been walking around this park in my ridiculous uniform, enduring the blisters on my feet and agonizing under the hot sun, for no good reason?"

"Ah-" Kaminari took her by the shoulders and began leading her out. "S-sorry, Midoriya, I'll catch up with you and Bakugou later. Gotta take Jiro home and all."

"Kaminari…"

"Se-see you!"

Midoriya chuckled at the sight of Jiro smacking Kaminari on the head with one of her earjacks as they vanished into the departing crowd.

"Good riddance," Bakugou snorted, "They would have just made things more complicated anyway."

"...Kacchan-" Midoriya started to protest.

"Hurry up, Deku!" Bakugou barked at him while rushing down the pier, "I just saw them get off the boat! Fuck, we're too far. Let's just-"

"Kacchan!"

Bakugou stopped. It had been ages since Midoriya used such a loud and stern tone with him, absent of any traces of hesitation or fear. The boy meant business and it didn't sound like the good kind. He reluctantly turned to Midoriya and hissed, "What?"

Midoriya vigorously shook his head and, raising a shaky palm to his face, pleaded, "Let's stop this already, Kacchan. What we're doing…I don't want any part of it."

"Ah?! What do you mean you don't want any part of it? You'd better be fucking grateful because I'm doing all this for-"

" _You!_ You're doing all this for you! How can you not see that?" Midoriya could see the fury that flashed in Bakugou's eyes but did not let it deter him from revealing the truth he'd been holding in. "I came here with you not because I wanted to stop Kirishima and Uraraka, but you. What you're doing isn't right and none of your reasoning makes any sense to me. I thought about it long and hard— why you care so much about me and Uraraka ending up together."

"Oy-"

"Kacchan, you-"

"Quit spouting your nonsense! You don't know sh-"

"You're the one that wants to be with Uraraka the most."

Bakugo froze. In shock or anger, he didn't know. Maybe both. All he knew was that Midoriya had stepped foot into a forbidden and unforgiving place that not even his own family dared meddle in and his gut burned with a need to eradicate the intruder. "...What the fuck, Deku?" Bakugou broke into a sarcastic cackle, " _That's_ the best theory you could come up with? If so, you're a lot stupider than I give you credit for."

Midoriya stood firmly in place. "Say whatever you want about me but I don't think I'm wrong. You have feelings for her. Why else would you care that she gets her 'happy ending' with me? Why does her being with Kirishima annoy you so much? Face it. It's the only reason that makes sense!"

"Fuck off!" Bakugou angrily stomped away, his strides longer and faster than his normal walking ones. "If you're tired of looking, then just say so! I don't need to hear this bullshit from you. I'll look for them myself."

Heaving a forlorn sigh, Midoriya decided— it was time to finally stop following Bakugou.

By the time Kirishima and Uraraka reached 'Fairy Wonderland' again, most of the park had gone dark. Only decorative flower and butterfly lamps lit their way in this particular area now and appropriately so. Unfortunately, in all their walking and running, Uraraka had managed to blister the ball of her right foot as her flats were not made to endure the rigorous activities she partook in today. Kirishima lent her his arm for support, which she trapped between her elbow and breast while she took her slow and cautious strides. Kirishima knew there was an optional bridge that crossed over a koi pond along the way and, though he was still nursing his wounds of rejection, decided he would remain a considerate and entertaining host and led Uraraka there to enjoy the sights. What was a few more minutes inside the park anyway?

"Wow!" Uraraka exclaimed when they arrived at the bridge, "Look at all the lights! Aren't they so pretty?"

Kirishima smiled. "Yeah, they really are."

The lotus plants that floated in the pond were decorated with multicolored bulbs that changed their hue every few seconds, making the water look like a kaleidoscopic galaxy all on its own. What Kirishima enjoyed more than their beauty though was how the dim lights danced in Uraraka's eyes. He swore, no other match could have been as perfect.

Uraraka leaned against the bridge's thick railing. "I wonder if Deku would have enjoyed this," she thought out loud.

Kirishima struggled to maintain his smile. "Why wouldn't he? He likes pretty things, too. At least, he strikes me as a guy that would."

"Heh, no, I mean _this._ " Uraraka pointed at herself then Kirishima. "All the stuff we did today."

"Oh, that. Um, yeah, I think he would have enjoyed it with you."

"And I can already hear what Bakugou would have said if he came to a place like this," Uraraka began to giggle, "'Damn it, Uraraka! I hate the sound of happy people! Why'd you bring me here? What?! Deku set this up? I'll kill him!' Hahaha! His expression would be priceless! I wish-" She gasped and looked up at Kirishima, unable to help but take notice of the lonely uncertainty on his face. "Ermm, at least…that's how I'd imagine he'd take it if he were in your shoes. You really are a trooper, you know that, Kirishima? I still can't believe Deku did what he did. I don't know how I'll be able to face him after this."

"Pfft," Kirishima chuckled weakly, "Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

"Hm. Maybe." Uraraka took a step forward to continue following Kirishima out but stumbled a little forward. No good. Her foot ached too much to go on and now the other one felt like it had a cut in the back, just above her heel. "Ahh…" she hissed, "Darn! I should have just worn sneakers after all."

Kirishima worked quickly to help her up and lifted her by her waist as he seated her on the rail. "Sorry," he said, "I should have taken us through the quicker way out. Does your foot hurt a lot?"

"Yeah," Uraraka grunted, holding onto Kirishima's shoulders for balance. "Just give me a few minutes. Most of the pain should go away by then."

Kirishima's hold on her waist tightened slightly, securing her to her spot on the railing, but this also put him at a disadvantage of having to keep Uraraka close to himself. Her arms hung over his shoulders with her fingers hovering behind his neck didn't help the erratic pounding his heart gave in his chest. With their foreheads so close that they almost touched, Kirishima couldn't help but compare their position to a couple sharing a slow dance. He could see the awkward blush on Uraraka's cheeks despite the darkness and dim lights that danced intricately around them in the surrounding area. Catching her eyes for a moment, Kirishima's breath caught in his throat before looking away. Uraraka couldn't help but look away as well as he was just way too close! "I'm not going to lie, this is pretty awkward," Kirishima admitted.

Uraraka tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. "I swear, it's not going to be like this forever! I just need to rest my feet. Please put up with me for a bit longer, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. You so owe me for this, I hope you know that."

"It's only fair." Uraraka gazed into Kirishima's red eyes and was suddenly reminded of another pair that burned much fiercer.

" _What the fuck do you want to hear? Because believe me, I can say it to get you off my case but I sure as hell won't mean it!"_

Suddenly overcome with grief, Uraraka flung herself at Kirishima, pulling him into a tight embrace as she nestled her face into his shoulder.

"Uraraka?!" he gasped, blushing like mad.

"What else can I do…" Uraraka sniffled.

Kirishima held her closer as he listened. There was a growing warmth on his shoulder and he knew then that Uraraka had at last opened her heart and all the agony that was trapped in it.

"I'm always either left behind or forgotten. It feels like whatever I do is never good enough. Especially for Bakugou."

"...Bakugou?"

"...Hm?" Uraraka sniffed and pulled away. "Wh- What about Bakugou?"

Kirishima frowned. "You…said his name just now. About not being good enough for him."

Uraraka frantically rubbed her eyes and uttered, "No, I said Deku. You must have misheard. I said…I'm never good enough…for Deku. I train and train and challenge my limits every time but it seems like I can't even dream of catching up to him."

Kirishima shifted his gaze to the side. "And Bakugou? Have you been trying to catch up to him, too?"

"...Bakugou is…" The last thing Uraraka wanted to see was a flashback of her moaning under the mentioned blonde as he gave it to her while she laid on all fours on his bed. But then she recalled how he also gave her his breakfast when she was late to the cafeteria, bought her snacks whenever she was low on cash, picked her up from work, ordered her favorite things at their favorite café… He did all those things and yet, such cruel words still managed to come out of his mouth.

She felt herself being pulled back into Kirishima's shoulder and given a soft pat on the head by him. "It's okay, Uraraka," he whispered to her, "I understand. No need to say more."

'Eh? Understand what?' It wasn't until she blinked that she realized just how much of her tears she'd let out. Choking on her breath, she let her arms find Kirishima's back.

After calming her down some, Kirishima gently pulled Uraraka off him and was relieved to find that most of her tears had dried and she was smiling at him. "What?" he asked, smiling back.

"Geez, I don't know what came over me all of a sudden," Uraraka laughed at herself and wiped what tears were left on her cheeks and lashes. "I hope you won't hold that against me. It's just… I had so much on my mind and I-"

"No need to explain. As I said, I completely understand and am not one to judge others."

Uraraka's smile grew. "I know. That's what I like about you, Kirishima. You're a really good friend to all of us and we couldn't have asked for a cooler guy to have our backs."

As an opposite effect, Kirishima's own smile vanished. "...Hey, Uraraka."

"Hmm?"

Kirishima peered down at the floating lights, his expression a lot more serious than Uraraka had ever seen it...even in the heat of battle. "I'm not the 'perfect big brother' figure you all perceive me to be. To tell you the truth, I've got my own demons that I'm fighting also."

"Ah," Uraraka squeaked, "Do you want to tell me about them? I vented to you for the most part so the least I could do is lend you my ear."

"...What if it's not something I want to tell you?"

Bakugou stumbled over another baby stroller but withheld his criticism of the mother handling it to make the most of his time. "Fucking nerd," he grumbled on, "Talking to me like I don't know myself. Tch! What gives him some all high and mighty right to psycho-analyze me? Stinkin' little…"

He checked his cell phone and found six missed calls from Midoriya and a red battery icon floating over the notifications. Since leaving his freckle-faced interrogator behind, Bakugou had had no luck finding Kirishima and Uraraka again. Maybe it was just bad timing with the universe, who knew? Either way, he wouldn't give up. He wouldn't have it— Uraraka being hugged and coddled by Kirishima. Tainting her behind Midoriya's back was one thing but Kirishima?

Bakugou made the mistake of envisioning Uraraka's creamy legs wrapped around Midoriya's waist while her head bobbed against Kirishima's naked groin. All at once, the squeezing sensation in his chest was back, putting a halt to his footsteps. 'What the hell? I'm fucking sick! Imagining that sort of thing.' How could he not? Just knowing two guys besides him were making their marks on Uraraka's radar was driving him crazy. 'Why? It's not like we're-' He shook his head and tromped further on ahead. "Number one. I'm aiming for number one. Don't forget, number one." He passed a sign labeled in curly letters, 'Fairy Wonderland' and blindly wandered deeper into its parts.

"Mommy, mommy!" a passing child cried, "Let's go that way! I want to go see the pond lights!"

"It's already getting too dark in that area, sweetie," her mother declined, "Maybe next time. We'll go a little earlier then."

The child gave a disappointed pout. "Aw…"

'Pond?' Bakugou glared in the direction the child was pointing to a moment ago. 'Dark. Tch, couldn't hurt to check.'

Uraraka raised a curious eyebrow at the redhead. "Then…I guess…don't tell me?" she replied, unsure of what Kirishima was trying to get at.

Kirishima's eyes flicked to her. "Then can I show you instead?"

Uraraka swallowed. Strange. Something about him seemed different today. Aside from his usual yet still overly masculine energy, he was dressed more intricately than usual today in his red flannel layered over a simple grey tee to accompany a pair of black ripped jeans and mildly worn black chucks to complete his urban flair. And if she didn't know any better, his hair seemed more 'made,' too. Why was she only noticing these things about him now? 'Don't make things awkward again,' she mentally scolded herself, trying her best not to blush. "I-I um, uh, sure. Whatever you prefer."

"Promise you won't hate me?"

"Why would I?"

"Because I'm about to ruin every platonic view you have about me."

"...Wait, wha-"

Kirishima held Uraraka's waist tight as he leaned forward and captured her lips. Uraraka would have certainly fallen off the bridge if it weren't for him using his other hand to support her back and hold her weight up as he leaned into her, deepening the kiss. She found that there was plenty of pent-up passion in how he pressed her body against his and how each brief parting of their lips only pulled them into each other just as quickly again. Before she could gather her thoughts, her eyes had fallen shut as she melted into Kirishima's embrace. He felt firm under her fingertips, bold, and most importantly, unwavering of the feelings he poured into their kiss. He was speaking without words and, surprisingly, she understood every bit of it.

At last, Kirishima pulled back but still stayed close enough for the tips of their noses to remain touching. "I can't stand it anymore," he panted, "You calling me a 'friend' so effortlessly."

Uraraka matched his heavy breaths as she whispered, "Kirishima, what…what does this mean? Why are you…?"

"Honestly," Kirishima laughed softly, "I don't know if this is the end or the beginning but…I like you, Uraraka."

Uraraka's eyes widened. "What?"

Kirishima offered a nod as affirmation. "It is what it is. And I know that I'm probably the last person that'd be on your dating list but I thought I'd get that out there so you can stop underestimating me."

"Underestimating? How?" Uraraka questioned, "I mean, I didn't think anything was wrong since you seemed fine all day."

"That's just it. When you're not aware of someone in _that_ way, then there are certain things you won't ever notice about them. It can't be helped, right?"

"I guess. I never really thought of it that way but you have a good point."

"Then with this-" Kirishima connected their lips again and, having caught Uraraka by surprise for this second time, slipped his tongue into her mouth. She gave a small squeal when he grazed his tongue over hers then nibbled down on her lower lip before pulling away. They were breathless again but not without bawdy half-smiles on both of their faces. "I hope you realize that I'm not just your friendly neighborhood Red Riot but also a _guy_. You've been so casual with touching me today that I felt like I should remind you of that."

Uraraka could feel her face burning at his remark. "I-I'm sorry! I won't do it anymore then. I didn't realize-"

Kirishima took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Why? I never said I didn't like it." He had to hold back a chuckle as Uraraka's tomato-red head seemed to deflate from all the hot air that escaped it. He always found her honest reactions endearing and was more than pleased that he could now express it, having at last shed his sheepskin. He leaned closer to her and asked, "So? Do you still think I'm just another precious 'friend,' Uraraka?"

Uraraka searched Kirishima's eyes for an ulterior motive, a dishonest glint, _something_ to dissuade her from meeting him the rest of the way.

"...Bakugou likes you too, you know."

And there it was. Her stop sign along the rocky and winding road of life. "He does?" she asked, eyes glistening with interest.

Kirishima slowly nodded. "I'm his best friend so I know. He'll never admit to it even if he was put on the torture table because he suffers from a bad case of tunnel vision. So what I'm trying to say is…" He wrapped his arms around Uraraka's smaller body and buried his nose in her hair. "If you ever feel lonely or want to just forget about the hurt, you can use me."

Uraraka shuddered. "I… I-I don't…"

"I see how you look at him, Uraraka. Why do you think I've been pushed to this point?"

"Kirishima-"

He planted a kiss on her forehead and whispered, "I won't rush you into anything and even if you only date me to forget about your feelings for him, I won't mind."

"You…" Uraraka hooked her fingers into Kirishima's flannel and held tightly onto him as though she would fall into the water behind her if she let go for even a second. "Why are you doing so much for someone like me?"

"Because it _is_ you," Kirishima smiled down at her, "I thought I already made my feelings clear, but in case you missed the memo..." He tilted her chin up and leaned forward.

Too immersed in their bittersweet embrace, Kirishima and Uraraka failed to notice a certain blonde standing on the other side of the bridge with a dead cell phone in his hand, silently staring at them.

* * *

 _ **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_

 _IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR...when my online productivity slows down because of the holidays and what it does to order traffic at work. Anywho, I apologize for the long wait._

 _I want to thank my friend/beta reader/chapter co-writer, GrownKitten6390, for helping me get this chapter out. Honestly, if it weren't for them, this chapter would not have made it out until MUCH later this month. So a lot of kudos to them!Oh, and did I mention they're the fluff guru? Kitten was in charge of fluff quality (as I'm apparently very brazen at it since I specialize more on angst and 'tough' romance) and mainly dictated Kirishima's reaction parts and extending the sweet and innocent Kirichako moments so if you loved all those, you know who to thank lol_

 _Thank you again for all of your guys' patience and comments! Hope to get the new chapter out for you much sooner than this last one._


	11. Chapter 11

Chairs skidded, chatters and bodies rose, blending into a lighthearted symphony of departure familiar to everyone. Another long day of classes was over yet rather than skipping excitedly down the hall with her friends, Uraraka remained pensive by the door. Following the events of last night, she had sent Midoriya a text message requesting they make time to talk the following day. A very thorough talk that would, once and for all, make clear where each of them stood under their...circumstances. Not to mention he still owed her _that_ answer. Though if she had to be honest, it probably meant plenty less to her now than it would have months ago. Before…

She laughed quietly to herself. There she went again. Her thoughts, no matter how muddled, always circled back to a certain person that, in what felt like a blink of an eye, single-handedly turned her world upside down. And it all started with a kiss— their first kiss. The places where he tasted and touched seared with longing and despair, worse so at night when she laid in bed alone, staring up at the ceiling or some dark corner of her room, remembering how he adamantly pushed her away before she could reveal the sins of her heart. 'It's probably for the best,' she constantly reassured herself, figuring that if she had actually succeeded, Bakugou would likely have resented her for not having a strong enough will to keep her end of the bargain. Yet now and again, she found herself imagining an alternate reality where he listened to all of her feelings, disposed of their 'deal,' and accepted her with open arms. Just then, a heavy presence appeared beside her, disintegrating the pitiful thoughts into white dust. Without even having to look, Uraraka knew who the potent energy belonged to. Honestly, she was surprised he sought her out at all. "Now isn't a good time," she spoke up first, "I'm waiting for someone."

"Hmph, you're sure of yourself," Bakugou scoffed, watching more for Uraraka's reaction than the curious looks of their classmates walking past them. "Let me guess. Kirishima?"

'He knows.' The thought had haunted Uraraka since she stepped foot in the classroom that morning and was immediately met with bitter and callous air emanating from Bakugou who neither stirred nor turned her way. His hostility still managed to prickle her skin even when he sat a good distance across the room and it was evident from his blatant disregard of Kirishima that she wasn't alone in the torment. _Kirishima_ . Realization just sank in. It really happened— they'd kissed. Not in a friendly or harmless greeting sort of way either, but an actual _kiss_ not unlike the ones she shared with Bakugou, if only lacking a small degree of fervor. She remembered feeling peaceful, if even for a fleeting moment, and her heart overflowed with sweet gratitude as she kissed him back. No doubt her decision to indulge herself in the bliss of his caresses was to mostly help her forget the painful wound Bakugou inflicted, but when she awoke, the spell had broken and she was overcome with remorse for conceding to her weakness.

"You might be here a while since Aizawa kept him," Bakugou interrupted her pondering, probably out of impatience when she didn't answer him.

"If you _must_ know, I'm actually waiting for Deku." Uraraka heard him snicker and frowned. Either he was trying to pick a fight or he thought the incident between them minuscule enough to disregard and go back to teasing her like he used to. "What?" she sternly demanded of the blonde.

"Nothing," Bakugou shrugged, "I just can't take you seriously when you act all 'cold.' It's not like you."

"Oh and I'm supposed to always smile while happily telling you, 'Go ahead, Bakugou. Mess with me all you like, I don't mind!' For your amusement?"

"I wasn't…! Ugh. Forget it." Bakugou turned the other way, breathing deeply to keep his temper mild. He lowered his voice a tad. "Look, I know you're still upset from before, but be reasonable. The sooner we get back to how things were-"

"A little too late for that now, don't you think?" Uraraka knew her tone had been unusually harsh, but she couldn't help it. Just when she thought she'd ascended enough to feign some normality, it took only Bakugou's brief intrusion to send her plummeting back into disheartenment. Even worse, something as simple as him shifting away from her, like now, still managed to spur the feeling of disappointment. She peeked from her peripheral as he tucked what looked like a bundle of his gym clothes under his arm and walked away without uttering anything in return. Wasn't this how she wanted them to be? She should have been satisfied...relieved… _Beaming_ with victory. And yet, with his back completely turned to her, she proceeded to look morosely towards him, wishing she didn't secretly think, 'Say something, you jerk! Come back and refuse me even just a little…' She withheld voicing her grief, and thankfully so because Kirishima's voice popped in from behind shortly after.

"Oh, Uraraka! Sorry, were you waiting for me? Mr. Aizawa wasn't too happy with my quiz results and scheduled me for an hour of tutoring every other day with Yaoyorozu until exams. It's my fault. I should've studied more." Seeing as the brunette didn't immediately turn his way, he followed her gaze. "Were you with Bakugou just now?"

Uraraka shook her head. "Ah, yeah, but it was nothing. He just...asked me things I didn't have the answers to. That's all."

The dejection in her glossy eyes left Kirishima unconvinced. He wanted to find solace in that she was now looking at him as she spoke, but no. Bakugou's presence still chained her and he could sense that it was taking every ounce of strength she had not to return to staring at his disappearing back. An overwhelming surge of longing overcame him as he recalled every moment he found Uraraka with her head turned from him, yearning for the attention of another. Before he could process his actions, Kirishima pulled her in by the waist and, to every present bystander's astonishment, planted an affectionate kiss atop her head.

"Ki-Kirishima?!" Uraraka's face brightened to match his hair. "What are you-"

Kirishima briskly restored some distance between them before any nosy individuals had a chance to document his little moment of exhibition with their phones. "Sorry! I forgot myself for a sec there. Won't happen again, I promise. Unless…you want it to."

He flashed an innocent smile, but Uraraka wasn't blind. She knew he somehow sensed her affliction and did what he did to snap her out of it. To her relief, she felt no offense towards his actions, especially since they were lucky enough that none of their friends were there to witness the event. "You really are kind, Kirishima," she began to laugh with him, gently rubbing the spot where his lips had been. "Thank you."

"Eh, I wouldn't say that. I did it for more selfish reasons than you think."

"Hmm, maybe that's true. I still appreciate it, though."

"And about, well, you know… What I asked you before…"

Uraraka nodded in understanding, bouncing anxiously on her toes. "I haven't forgotten, don't worry. As promised, I'm thinking seriously about it."

"I know and I appreciate that. Just…" Kirishima hesitated, unsure as to why he felt such disquiet whenever he searched Uraraka's eyes. He wanted to be sure that they were looking back at him, but if he had to be honest, he might as well have been a ghost. "Anyway," he quickly digressed, disliking where his thoughts were going. "Should we go or…?"

"Oh, you go on ahead." Uraraka pointed back at the classroom with her thumb. "I'm actually waiting on Deku. Don't know what's keeping him, though."

At last, Midoriya came bouncing out the door, his thumbs tucked comfortably under his backpack's straps as he wailed, "I'm sorry, Uraraka! I wanted to make sure I copied down all of the notes on the board so I could study them tonight. Di-Did you wait long?"

Before Uraraka could politely tell him otherwise, Aizawa stepped out of the room after him. He glanced between the three and asked, "Is Bakugou still around?"

"No," both Kirishima and Midoriya replied first.

It was a short and honest answer that Aizawa would have no choice but to be satisfied with, until Uraraka added with clear certainty, "He's staying after to train. Probably out in the field since the other facilities are closed for maintenance today."

Aizawa loudly breathed in, "Drat. I have to attend a staff meeting right now so it seems I'll have to try and catch him tomorrow. Ah, but if any of you happen to see him before then, let him know I need to speak with him."

The three watched as the older man lazily swept his clipboard and folders under his arm and trudged on down the hall. "I hope Kacchan's not in trouble," Midoriya muttered, "Seemed kind of urgent."

"Y-Yeah. Me, too." Uraraka stole a glance at Kirishima, uncertain as to what kind of face he was making. She didn't mean to blurt out something assuming, but before she realized it, the knowledge had left her with ease. How could it not? Bakugou keeping any type of outdoorsy clothes out and handy meant he intended to do some workout or intense quirk training. At least, that's how it always was when they used to do their sparring sessions together.

"Well then, I should get going," the hardening quirk user finally grinned, still not looking at either Uraraka or Midoriya. "I have a quiz to make up for and I don't intend on flunking it again! See you guys later!" He gave a weak wave of his hand before also disappearing down the hall, finally leaving the two to their privacy.

"S-So," Midoriya thickly exhaled as he turned to face Uraraka. With the hallway finally emptied out, now was as good a time as ever to start. "Aside from you calling me out with that, err, text you sent— thanks, by the way— I believe I owe you a lot of…explanations. Way overdue."

Uraraka rallied her composure and nodded almost sarcastically back, "Oh, you bet you do! Like why you sent Kirishima to meet me at the amusement park specifically mentioning it was to host our date 'in your place.'"

A deep frown formed on Midoriya's lips. "That was…"

"The worst part about it? You _knew_ how I felt. We even spent hours at a café together after your grand return to make sure we were both on the same page following up on my confession from way back when. So forgive me, Deku, if I sound so fed up right now because I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at all hurt after I realized you did!"

"I know and I'm so, _so_ sorry," Midoriya pleaded, "I messed up, I really did. I thought you deserved someone who could be with you wholeheartedly-"

Uraraka shook and tilted her head, perplexed by what she was hearing. "And knowing all that you knew, not once did you consider that you could be that person? Geez, if I was so god awful and you were disgusted by my confession, you should have just been straightforward about rejecting me from the start instead of putting me through all this."

"It's not like that so don't even say that! I care about you, Uraraka, okay? I really do! More than you think…" Midoriya's mouth parted and shut a few times before he finally uttered the rest, "But probably not the way you want me to. I've started to realize it myself."

Like water to a flame, Midoriya's words almost immediately ameliorated Uraraka's warranted anger. At last, she'd gotten the answer she spent so much of her time waiting for.

Midoriya paused to gather himself. Never in a million years did he think he'd ever have to talk to a girl— much less a long-time friend like Uraraka— about these things, yet here he was, redder than a tomato and sweating up a storm. "N-No one's ever noticed me before so you have no idea how surprised and happy I was when I received your confession. I've always admired you. Ever since you saved me from falling flat on my face in front of everyone on the day of entrance exams."

Uraraka couldn't help but blush at his honesty. "Why are you telling me this when you're supposed to be turning me down?"

"After my time away and coming back to you, I thought I had grown enough to respond to your feelings. But I can't after all. I'm too selfish."

"...What do you mean?"

"I can't share myself with you…or anyone, for that matter. Not right now and, honestly, I don't know when I'll ever be ready. I just know that becoming the number one hero and saving everyone takes place first and I'm going to dedicate my entire being to making that happen, or die trying." Without hesitation nor care for any pain it would ensue, Midoriya dropped to his knees, palms, and forehead as he passionately declared his apology, "Even so, what I did wasn't fair to you or Kirishima! I acted on my own stupid assumptions when as your friend, I should have been more considerate of your feelings. Again, I'm truly, deeply sorry! I'm forever remorseful, from the bottom of my heart, so please… I hope you can forgive me. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I lost you."

"...Geez…" Uraraka crossed her arms over her chest as she shifted from side to side. Receiving such a heartfelt apology from Midoriya definitely felt justified, even partly empowering. Still, she couldn't shake off the guilt that hung over her head. "Thank you, Deku, but there's no need for you to go through such lengths for me."

Midoriya's gaze shot up to her. "O-Of course I do! You're an important and irreplaceable friend! That's why I'm apologizing so sincerely-"

"And I've accepted your apology, so stop," Uraraka nearly pleaded, "You see, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for some time now, too, and probably owe my own apology for."

"Oh, u-um sure, okay…" Midoriya slowly rose back to his feet. "Wh-What is it?"

Uraraka took in a deep breath. "Back to when I confessed, you didn't give me an answer right away and asked me to wait until you'd thought it through."

"Yeah…?"

"Well, you see, during that time…it was a lot later on of course, just before you came back, but I didn't know you were coming back at the time you did and it all happened so quickly, I-" Despite her preparation, Uraraka's breath still ran short. Not to mention her tongue had become impossibly tied again and her new sense of confidence was beginning to shrivel.

"Uraraka, what happened?" Midoriya gently encouraged her to continue.

"I-I ended up having feelings for someone else. Even though I was supposed to be waiting for you… I'm so sorry, Deku."

Shame quivered in Uraraka's voice and her reddened ear tips were telling, but Midoriya nodded to show his understanding of her feelings. He didn't have to wonder too deeply why he felt more sympathetic than victimized by a lover's falseness. It was just a better assertion that he made the right judgment about his own feelings and needed to be the most reliable friend to her now. "Why are you apologizing for something like that?" he broke into a chuckle, "I'm happy for you!"

Shock crossed Uraraka's face. "You are?"

"Of course! You've always been free to be with who you wanted, Uraraka. And as long as that person treats you well and shares your feelings, I'll keep wishing you all the best."

Uraraka thought back to Kirishima and his promises of how lavishly he'd treat her as her boyfriend, but behind him Bakugou remained, leering and scoffing at her so vividly that she thought she could grab and toss him into the sky. "Don't you think it's ridiculous, though?" she sighed, "How I seem to be jumping from one guy to the next?"

"Well, I didn't think of it like _that_ ," Midoriya admitted, genuinely surprised by the cynical view Uraraka had of herself. "Maybe you've always liked this person and just never followed it through because uh, I…sorta…made you wait."

They traded anxious looks, nodding and clearing their throats as a long silence followed. "So… Is it Kirishima?" Midoriya thought he was about to faint. He couldn't believe he just asked such an invasive question so soon! But Uraraka's guilt-leaden stare found him and, without a single word leaving either one of them, he knew he'd received his answer. He replied with a halfhearted smile, "Listen, I know it may seem redundant for you at this point, but the sooner you have a proper talk with that person you like, the better. You never know, he might be able to fulfill the role that the others before him couldn't."

Uraraka tugged on the ends of her hair. "I _know_ he can. I felt that assurance every time we were together… Probably still do, while I'm being honest. I've tried talking to him about my feelings, but I seem to have terrible luck with confessions."

"Why is that?" Midoriya asked, worried.

"He wouldn't hear any of it," Uraraka laughed dryly, stroking her own arm in an attempt to soothe the remembrance of her heartache. "So I think, in that way, I've already been rejected."

"B-But you're saying you _think_ , so that means you don't know for absolute sure, right?" Midoriya punched the air with encouragement. "You have to make sure, Uraraka! Even if he runs from you, you have to tell him how you feel— loud and clear until it knocks the guy off his high horse!"

"Deku…" Uraraka stared back at him, dumbfounded yet pleasantly stunned by his sudden optimism. Funny, it was as though they traded personalities for a day.

"And i-if it counts for anything," Midoriya persisted, "I strongly believe that being honest with yourself first is the most important thing. That way, other people won't have to get hurt…" He trailed off. What exactly was he trying to say anymore?

Uraraka started to reveal a wide and determined smile. "You know what? You're absolutely right."

"Ah… I am?" Midoriya squeaked.

"Sorry, but I'm going on ahead. I still have something I need to do."

"Wait! We can head back to the dorms together. Are you sure?"

"More sure than I've ever been before! Don't worry!"

"A-Alright then." Midoriya waved to her as he turned away to leave, "See you around, Uraraka. Good luck!"

"See you!" Uraraka ran down the hall, her heart hammering in her chest.

.

.

.

.

Bakugou's gym attire stuck to him like glue as he sped down the dusty track lane. He'd been exercising like a madman since he left the classroom; starting with lunges and jumps to confronting the ground for a couple hundred pushups to now running laps around the open field. His joints ached and the air trapped in his side cut him like a sword, but he didn't care. Being in the open air was a huge relief compared to the stuffy atmosphere he just came from. Moreso, he just wanted to get the image of Kirishima kissing Uraraka out of his head.

"Oy!" came a sudden holler from afar, "Bakugou, over here!"

Amidst running his final lap, Bakugou looked ahead to find Kirishima jogging towards him. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, "What do you want?"

Kirishima hadn't expected to be met by the blonde so cooperatively. Having little time to steel himself, he spluttered, "Hey, how've you been? I just thought I'd check in on you since we haven't talked m-"

"Look, shitty-hair, I'm in a shitty mood right now and you're the last person I want to see, so if you don't get to the point-"

"Okay, okay…" Kirishima raised and lowered his hands to calm the rancorous male. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Uraraka."

Bakugou instantly scowled, "Again? I already told you everything I had to say about her."

He pushed Kirishima aside to continue his run only to skid to a stop when he heard Kirishima mutter, "Not everything."

"...Wanna run that by me again?"

"Uraraka is probably finishing up her talk with Midoriya right about now," said Kirishima as his eyes flicked to the school building afar, then back to Bakugou.

The blonde scowled back, "The hell does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm sure you know it, too, but the next time either of us see her, she'll be at a crossroads. Between you and me."

Bakugou turned his heel, facing Kirishima completely. For some reason, hearing Uraraka's situation brought to light that way made his blood boil and his palms sweat all at the same time. Every possible retort that hung on his tongue tasted so bitter that he wanted nothing more than to spit them all on the dirt, but he'd be the bigger person this time and retain his composure; to act like none of what Kirishima was saying held any truth. "Hmph, you're still on about that?" He leered at Kirishima, expecting just as amused a response, but could see that he only succeeded in turning the redhead's expression irate. Gladly, he responded with a sour smirk, "You really are a lot stupider than I thought."

"Drop the tough guy act already!" Kirishima snapped, "It's not fooling anyone! Much less me. If you and Uraraka are already…involved, then please, just tell me. I don't want to get in your guys' way. You're both very important to me and, truthfully, you more to a degree."

Any resemblance of apathy left Bakugou's face completely. It was the first time he'd heard something so hard-nosed come out of Kirishima. He didn't know whether to be furious or impressed. He pivoted to continue on his run, but was abruptly yanked back. Fighting instincts taking over, he swung his arm back, tearing Kirishima's fingers from his shirt sleeve before he hoisted him up by the collar. He raised his fist, clenching his fingers until they swelled…then stopped. He knew better than anyone how pointless it was to challenge Kirishima in a fistfight given his armored quirk, but seeing the redhead in his grasp, unwilling to even activate his quirk as he choked, Bakugou found that he couldn't muster the strength to do what he was about to do.

"...Fuck!" he spat and dropped Kirishima on the ground. "Last we talked, you sounded like you already made up your mind about Uraraka so why bring me back into this?"

Kirishima dusted himself off and approached Bakugou again, stopping just short of their chests touching. "You think you guys are the only ones feeling torn about all this?"

"Idiot, that's why I told you not to get involved!"

"I don't know the whole story between you two, but even I can see that there's history there. Yes, I've already made up my mind about pursuing Uraraka, but I want to know that it won't be at the cost of losing my best friend, damn it!"

Bakugou turned away as his face twisted with frustration. He couldn't take it anymore. Kirishima's avalanche of despair was like fingernails on a chalkboard and any clever response he surmised vanished sooner than a pleasant dream on a workday. "I don't need this shit." His mood thoroughly soured, he kicked a hole in the ground and marched away.

Kirishima ran after him, shouting, "Bakugou, stop! You can't keep running from this!"

Becoming the unmatched number one hero demanded harsh effort and sacrifice and up to this point, Bakugou had no qualms with either because he'd been disciplined enough to not form any unnecessary attachments with any single routine or person. His immediate family was probably the only thing that could personally impact him should anything happen to them, but he took great measures over the years to display false intolerance of them when out in public. Someone outside of that world he'd worked so hard to build, and so small, emotional, and endearingly annoying, shouldn't have had such a strong influence on him. But he couldn't have been more wrong. For the first time in his life, he began to fear the growing doubts of his disposition. All because of _her_.

"Fuck off! Don't follow me!"

Kirishima stepped back. "Bakugou…"

"I'm serious! I can't promise I'll be able to hold back like earlier if you hang around me now." Bakugou abandoned the tracks for the school building, defeated by the very same unpleasant thoughts he initially hoped to trample.

.

.

.

.

Uraraka arrived in the deserted hallway of the opposite wing, sighing heavily with hands tucked behind her back as her eyes grazed the locker rooms to the side. Her wandering only came to a stop when two large doors blocked her path. She had been ready to accept what was with thoughts of 'what if' to help her cope with the long melancholy to follow, but Midoriya was right. A halfhearted resolve like that would not give her the closure she wanted, only years of regret. Anxiousness stunned her legs to stupor and as expected, raising her arm to reach the door handle proved arduous. Still, she refused to succumb to the retention of those invisible shackles and scrambled with all her might to push forward, squeezing what ounce of determination she had left to confront the dread that waited beyond.

Just then, the doors opened and time froze with her. The emerging figure's sullen gaze rose from the floor and stopped on her face. As she thought— despite everything that transpired between them, this person still managed to wake the butterflies in her stomach. His jaw slacked a moment then quickly snapped back to a hardened grimace. Not a single word was exchanged and not one second was wasted on hesitation as his heavy steps approached her. She shut her eyes, apprehension crawling all over her skin.

Bakugou growled low and fatigued, "What are you doing here?"

"I…" Uraraka fought the urge to avert his intense stare. "I came to see you."

"Hmph, could've fooled me. The way you were acting earlier, you made it seem like you wanted absolutely nothing to do with me."

Uraraka offered a wistful smile. "Can you blame me?" An intentional brush of the shoulder as he walked past her was his only answer, albeit a silent admission of his defeat at her remark.

"Well, now you have me," Bakugou huffed, frowning at his choice of words. "What do you want?"

"A few things. One, I want to tell you that I finally talked things over with Deku. I only left out what obviously needed leaving out, of course. I… I came out of that a lot less sad than I thought I would be. Relieved, actually."

"Congratulations on finally growing a pair and using some common sense. Go get yourself a gold star."

"Two," Uraraka continued, ignoring Bakugou's condescending jeers, "I want you to be completely honest with me. Do you already know about me and Kirishima? Involving yesterday."

Bakugou took a deep breath. He figured she would confront him about this, but in his stubbornness he didn't really prepare for it. It took a minute to fortify his composure, but slowly, he nodded. "Rattle him a little and the nerd gets pretty talkative; he set you two up on a date instead of going to meet you himself. And people think _I'm_ an asshole." The small reveal was to stave off any further suspicions Uraraka might form. Just like he predicted, she frowned and prodded him again.

"Nothing else?"

But he was quick to counter, "Anything more I'm supposed to know?" As far as she knew, he _didn't_ tail them at the amusement park and therefore _didn't_ see what he wasn't supposed to or wanted to see. After all, he had nothing to benefit from revealing everything he knew to her; down to the last, disgusting, sultry detail of the consequence Midroya sowed. So he'd maintain the illusion of ignorance. No matter how aggravating.

"He confessed his feelings for me," Uraraka continued to breathe life into a conversation that Bakugou preferred to be smothered to death. She didn't offer him a chance for a quip and carried on, "Then after that, he asked me out. I was confused at first, but then…I don't know. I wasn't angry or anything. Maybe flattered? I had no idea he saw me that way-"

"Well isn't that peachy?" Bakugou hissed through his teeth. He'd put more disdain into that than he would have wanted. Cursing himself internally, he quickly redeemed himself, "Why are you talking to me about this? For your information, I'm not in a hurry to lose my lunch."

"Something felt off," Uraraka admitted with a deep sigh, "I really tried, but my mind was somewhere else the whole day and even when we kissed, our feelings weren't in sync."

"Oh-ho, _kissed_ , imagine that," Bakugou grumbled mockingly under his breath, annoyed that Uraraka still managed to fail at sparing him the details he wanted to forget.

To his surprise, she cracked a smile before quietly asking, "Do you remember that night...when I told you there was a time I considered some others before Deku? As boyfriend material, I mean."

"How could I forget?" Bakugou smirked, "That's what helped start all this."

Uraraka nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Kirishima was one of the names I mentioned, so this works out, right? It's interesting how everything came full circle."

A heavy silence hung in the air. Bakugou wanted to feign extreme disinterest in the topic, but his face betrayed him, creasing to a morose glower instead. Uraraka's eyes softened as if asking his reason for wearing such an expression, but he picked up on her approach and immediately broke eye contact. "Imagine that," he grumbled again.

"I also gave what you said a lot of thought and decided that you were right. I need to make a decision, no matter how difficult it may be."

"...And?"

"...Last night, as he saw me off to my room, Kirishima asked me to learn to like him back. To be honest, I was really moved by his sincerity."

Bakugou could feel his face growing sore. He had no idea he'd been scowling for so long.

Uraraka sucked in a breath and held it carefully in her cheeks as though it were her last ration of air. Then, as she released it in a trembling stream, her eyes slowly fluttered shut. "I want to know...if you'd be okay with it. If I accepted him."

"Tch, what do I know?" Bakugou replied a little too quickly, "Kirishima's Kirishima. At least you're guaranteed to be with a good and honest guy— with him."

"O-Oh. Really? But…didn't you tell me before that he'd make for a poor choice? Why the change of heart?"

He could hear the grief constricting her throat, but Bakugou knew it was too late to turn back or regret anything at this point. He'd made his own decision and with it came the responsibility to deal the final blow that would mark the rift between them, "Like I said, stop coming to me about this stuff. I have no say in what you decide to do with your life, so just go out with whoever you-"

"Stop it!" Uraraka suddenly cried, startling Bakugou back half a step, "I wish everyone would just stop telling me that! _'Whoever I want.'_ None of it means anything so please, stop. I don't want to keep being reminded that I can't be with…with you."

Knuckles white and fingertips flushed wine red, Bakugou could only stare in silence as her anguished eyes flitted up to meet his. "What are you saying?" he asked quietly. Though deep down, he'd always known they were tiptoeing around the subject. He even took heed to coldly deny her the last time she tried bringing it to light since he expected the two of them to already know and understand each other's answers. But now, as he watched Uraraka's lips move and the first tear roll down her cheek, he found himself mesmerized and _unwilling_ to stop her. His heart caught in his throat as her voice finally rang clear in his ears—

"I'm sorry. The truth is, I ended up falling for you after all."


End file.
